The Yajuu Sannin
by Shredjeep777
Summary: While exploring the Team 7 training ground, a young Naruto happens to stumble across a strangely shaped kunai embedded in a tree. Years of frustration and deciphering later, he finally cracks the fuinjutsu formula hidden along the handle to surprising and painful results. History is rewritten as the descendants of the Otsutsuki clan are finally all gathered onto one team.
1. Chapter 1 - The Perfect Soldier

Chapter 1 – The Perfect Soldier

The ANBU knelt before the Hokage awaiting his orders. Outside, the Hokage's face was a perfect mask. One he had built from years of experience that betrayed no trace of emotion or thoughts. Inside, he mentally sighed as he stared at the perfect soldier kneeling before him.

"Thank you, Kitsune. Make sure to take at least a week of rest before returning for active duty."

After a moment of silence, the Hokage followed up with, "And no, that was not a recommendation. It was an order."

"If you insist Hokage-sama," Kitsune obediently replied.

The Hokage had to resist the urge to shake his head at the near mindless response. While he was an impeccable soldier, Kitsune was not what one would call a social person. For years, the old man had tried to coerce him into fraternizing with others his age, but he would be shot down. It saddened him to see someone, whom he'd practically raised from a young boy, become so alone.

It still astounded him how vicious the boy had turned out. Even amongst other ANBU, who were considered the deadliest in the village, it was uncommon to take A-rank after A-rank missions, only pausing to take an occasional S-rank. It truly was a shame Itachi had left so early. What they could have accomplished together would have been staggering.

It felt like only yesterday when Hiruzen had stumbled upon the boy breaking into the Sarutobi complex. The ANBU would never have even noticed him if the Hokage hadn't headed down to the storage room for a late night snack. As he creaked open the door, the boy simply froze and did nothing but stare back at the surprised, old man. The boy's face had been covered in dirt, and his clothes had been caked in dried mud.

He was just a clan-less orphan with nothing but the clothes on his body and thin scroll on his back. It was so silent that the old man could hear the boy's heart throbbing in his chest in fear. He had offered him a kind smile to put him at ease, before walking towards him.

The moment he moved, the boy dropped everything and turned to bolt from the scene. He barely made it three steps before he was stopped by the ANBU that followed the Sandaime at all times. The blonde haired boy struggled to free his arms, and his thrashing only grew worse as the old man drew closer. The Hokage had knelt before him and offered him a smile, before waving off the guards. The boy rubbed his wrist as he desperately tried to stare anywhere but into the old man's eyes. He was surprised when the man ruffled his hair, and offered him the burlap sack of food he had dropped in his haste to escape.

The boy could only stare dumbstruck with awe, when the Hokage offered him a place to sleep. Ever since that night, the boy had clung to him at the hip, as much as the ANBU would allow. He had immediately made a request to enlist as a shinobi, and the rest was history. All but adopted by the head of ANBU at the time, he spent every waking moment of his time studying, training, and pushing his body to the limit in order to serve the man, who had shown such kindness.

He was precise, vicious, and had a mind as sharp as his blade. Yes, ANBU had crafted their perfect little, monster, yet it saddened the old man to see such a level of commitment that prevented the boy from having his own life.

"That will be all Kitsune. You are dismissed," the Hokage sighed.

Kitsune nodded and headed for the door. As he reached for the handle, the door slammed open and in raced a blur of yellow and orange.

"HEY JIJI!"

A smile crept across the old man's face as his other young charge sped towards him like a bolt of lightening. Equally as quick, Kitsune snatched up the young boy and held him by the collar of his shirt.

"No fair, Fox-baka! Let me go!" the young boy cried out as he squirmed for release from the older boy's grasp.

Their interactions never ceased to amuse the old man. No one else had the gall to insult Kitsune right to his face.

"Naruto, please be more respectful to Kitsune. You know he is just doing his job. Besides, you wouldn't want to irritate him on accident."

The lump of blond hair crossed his arms and pouted. "Like I care! He's not that great. If it wasn't for the fact that he's taller than me, I'd kick his ass!"

The masked boy made no response, but the old man could tell from his body language that he was smirking underneath his mask. Naruto seemed to be only one that could elicit that kind of response from him.

"I'm sure," the old man responded with a smirk. "Now Naruto, what are you doing here? If I'm not mistaken, classes have not been let out yet, and I'm sure Iruka would be disappointed to find out that you have been skipping again."

The 8-year-old boy blushed and at least looked a little ashamed before replying, "He's sick today and some other teme is teaching. He made me sit in the hall and wouldn't let me back in. I didn't do anything jiji. I promise! He wouldn't listen!"

A frown found its way across the Sandaime's face as, once again, another teacher at the academy acted out against the young boy. It had become a reoccurring theme over the past few months no matter how much he threatened the staff of the academy. He couldn't just send ANBU agents to watch the class to keep them in line. Misuse of resources for personal reasons aside, it would be difficult to explain to clan heads why there were suddenly ANBU agents stationed around the classroom filled with so many of their future heirs, when the teachers were supposed to be vetted for their protection already.

It was starting to affect the boy's grades, and he knew it would only get worse. He inwardly shook his head at the fools that acted against the boy. If he were any other student, they would have been overjoyed to have such a studious child.

One day, the young boy had wandered into his office out of boredom. The Hokage had been out in a meeting, but the blonde had found another way to entertain himself. When his meeting was finished, he surprised to walk in and find the boy entrenched in one of the fuinjutsu books he kept in his bookshelf.

To say that he and his guards were on edge would be an understatement. It went without saying that watching a jinchuriki meddle with fuinjutsu was beyond stressful. When asked why he chose that particular book, the boy had gazed up at him and simply replied it was because the swirl symbol on cover was the same as the one on all of his shirts.

With that simple explanation, he and the guards stationed around the room had let out a sigh of relief. Sarutobi knew Naruto was not the kind of person to enjoy sitting still or reading, so to see the boy so calm and focused, on a book of all things, was nothing short of astonishing. After a short debate in his head, he had gladly lent the boy the book, and a week later the boy returned asking for the next volume. This continued on and on, and now the boy was starting to exhaust the beginner fuinjutsu books that he kept in his office.

The Sandaime stopped his trip down memory lane and turned his attention back to the young boy in front of him.

"I'm sorry to hear that Naruto. Do you want Kitsune to go with you to talk with the teacher into letting you back in?"

The boy shook his head vigorously. "Nah, he's just a boring old coot anyway. I'd rather you teach me some awesome jutsu instead! Come on jiji, please?"

The old man chuckled as he replied, "I'm sorry Naruto, but I'm busy as it is," motioning to the mountain of paper that littered his desk and the ground around him. "Maybe in a week or two we can schedule a day for just the two of us, or, at the very least, free up some time for some ramen?"

The young boys eyes lit up in excitement, and his sound of approval echoed off the walls of the room.

"Kitsune, please escort Naruto back to the academy and, while you're there, ensure that the teacher is aware of my displeasure of the situation." Over Naruto's sounds of disappointment, Kitsune nodded understanding the message. "And before you go back, maybe just show a little something to Naruto to appease his curiosity."

Naruto perked up again. "Do you mean it?"

"Only if you promise to behave yourself until Iruka returns from his leave," replied the Sandaime with a serious expression.

"You got it jiji! And I never break a promise! Dattebayo!"

He chuckled at the verbal tick as he waved Kitsune, who was still holding the boy by his collar, out of his office. He continued to hear the boy's muffled screams for release as they made their way down the hall.

He sighed and leaned back into his chair. Naruto was always a breath of fresh air and it was good for Kitsune to show at least some emotion. Naruto was someone who refused to be ignored and demanded attention. When Naruto had first met Kitsune, he refused to stop bugging the teenager about how his mask's whisker marks were similar to his own. After a nasty run in with some drunk villagers, Kitsune had intervened on Naruto's behalf and they had taken to each other immediately afterwards.

As similar as the two were, Hiruzen reflected upon how they would follow different paths. Kitsune was a perfect example of what Naruto would have turned into had Danzo gotten his hands on him. A perfect, lethal, empty shell of a person with nothing but loyalty to the village.

Naruto was too bright and cheerful for that. Hiruzen was content his decision to keep the boy from starting his career too early. He already had the guilt of one child soldier on his conscience, and he didn't want to add another. He made one final gaze at the fourth picture hanging on his wall of a mop of golden hair, before resigning himself back to the paper stacked in front of him.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** ( Updated 9/23/16)

 **Just returned to fix up some grammatical mistakes and makes some changes here and there. PM my account if anyone else sees a major problem. Always helpful to have an extra pair of eyes.**

 **This was the start of this story, and I'm amazed by how its taken off within a week. Thank you everyone for your support.**


	2. Chapter 2 - A Chance Discovery

Chapter 2 – A Chance Discovery

Naruto was so happy he could almost skip as he made his way through Konoha. He would never actually skip, no never, for that wasn't very shinobi-like. No sir. But he was so excited he couldn't help but at least giggle. He had finally done it. He had made his way through jiji's library of beginner fuinjutsu books, and now, he held a new, blue book under his arm. He could finally start moving on to the advanced stuff!

His mood slightly soured, and he made a tiny pout.

Well, not really the advanced stuff. Jiji had said he still had to move on to the medium-level books, but hey, that was still an improvement! His determination back in his eyes, he vowed to be the best ninja in the village at fuinjutsu, just like the Yondaime was before him.

Though he would never admit it, Naruto was very self-conscious when it came to his own talent. Sure, he liked to talk big and would fight tooth and nail to back it up, but whenever he had to compare himself to the likes of Sasuke or even Kitsune, he would feel disappointed in his own ability.

Not for a lack of trying. He would spend hours trying to mimic what Nee-chan and Kitsune-san would teach him, but he still felt as though he was coming up short. The fact that he had advanced to his current level of fuinjutsu all by himself made him beam and swell with pride. He had become entranced the second he'd laid his eyes on that book in jiji's office.

He still didn't know what it was, but something about seals just clicked with him. It was exhilarating to finally find something he was good at, but when he learned in class that his hero, the Yondaime, was also a seal master, it was just even better.

Naruto couldn't help but snicker at the memory of the teacher's face when Kitsune had arrived with him back at the academy a few weeks ago. He had never seen anyone's face turn that pale before. He had forgotten what kind of effect Kitsune's presence tended to have on other people. He always forgot how big a deal he was due to the way he treated him. Kitsune would always take the time to listen to him, and he'd always rub his hair when he left.

At first it bugged him like it would with any other kid, but he eventually grew fond of the sign of affection and looked forward to it (although he would never admit it).

So there he was, not skipping, clutching his first, grade 2 fuinjutsu book under his arm. All the while ignoring the angry stares and whispers that would erupt as he passed by. It was the weekend and Iruka had decided to cut the class some slack by not giving them any homework. Now with all this free time, he made his way towards his second favorite spot in the village. It was too hot today to sit on the rocky head of the Hokage monument. Instead, he headed out towards the training grounds Kitsune had shown him once or twice.

As he entered training ground 7, he headed off towards the opposite edge of the clearing sheltered under the shade of the looming trees. He kept strolling until he finally found a place that satisfied him and popped a squat. Easing back against the roots, he excitedly tore open his new book.

His excitement quickly bettered out when he saw nothing but a blank page. He is eyebrows burrowed in confusion, and his heart started to sink as he skimmed through the rest of the book to find that all of the pages were blank.

What was going on? Jiji wouldn't just give him an empty book. He bet it was that new receptionist. She must have done something to switch the covers. But she had seemed so nice to him before…

He turned back to the beginning and found a letter taped to the inside cover.

Naruto peeled it off as he easily as he could without damaging the book and proceeded to rip open the letter. He skimmed through the message before groaning and slumping back against the tree.

 _Dear Naruto,_

 _I want to congratulate you for finally completing the beginner class series. I am very proud of you and glad to see you're taking a more serious approach to your education. I apologize for not being able to give you your next volume in person. I am needed in a meeting with the Fire Daiymo in the capital for the next week. So Kitsune and I will be unable to congratulate you on your accomplishment in person._

 _Kitsune is also proud of you in his own way. I took his grunt when I mentioned your accomplishment as a sign of approval._

 _By now you are probably wondering why your current book is blank. Consider it a test. I don't claim to be an expert seal master, but I'd like to think that I know my way around the trade. I do know that all seal masters go through a series of tests upon completing each level, and since Konoha is rather lacking in that department I thought I'd give you a mock test, until a true expert can come to test your abilities._

 _Your challenge is simply to unlock your new book. All you have to do is remove the seal from the first page. Think of it as a culmination of everything you have learned so far._

 _Before you get any ideas in that empty head of yours, don't think about simply tearing the page with the test on it. All that will do is activate a security seal and spit out an enormous amount of ink, drenching both you and the book's pages._

 _I know you can crack this if you put your head to it. Good luck and I will see you soon._

 _Hiruzen Sarutobi_

Naruto was filled with a strange combination of annoyance and anticipation. While he was ticked that the old man tricked him, he was also humbled that the old man thought enough of him that he could pass this test. However, a grim realization settled over him as he realized he hadn't brought his sealing kit with him.

"Kuso," he muttered as he slumped against the tree. He had only been planning to flip through the book and get a hold of the new concepts, before starting to take any notes. He hadn't thought to bring his equipment with him.

The seal jiji had placed was only slightly challenging. For his classmates, they would have mistaken the mass of ink blots and symbols as unreadable jargon, but to him it was as clear as day.

The big seal on the page was split into three parts. The outside of the sphere was a double detection seal that activated whenever the book was opened. This meant that every time he opened the cover, the seal would recognize it and activate the other seals below it.

The second part was a quadruple seal split up into four parts: one to detect any tear in the page, another acting as a storage seal, most likely filled with ink, yet another that would propel whatever was in the storage seal outwards, and a final part that prevented working on the lower level anti-theft seal until the others were taken care of.

The final level was the anti-theft seal, which hide all of the ink from the pages of the book. It also had a timed alarm that would activate the moment someone started working on breaking down the seals.

All in all, not too challenging for him, but not exactly a walk in the park. This would take time, concentration, and all of his equipment, which he had left at home.

Not resigned to lose his day in the training grounds, he tucked the book under his arm and neatly folded the letter into his pocket, before setting off into the woods.

* * *

Naruto loved to explore, although the ANBU would never let him when he was little. He understood why they wouldn't let him go. You can't just let a toddle wander off by himself, but his stubborn attitude never let him give up that desire to just see what's out there.

The first time he had come here, he had been so excited to discover the multitude of used kunai and shuriken that littered the training ground. When he ventured deeper into the forest, he would only discover more and more kunai lodged into the branches of trees and burn marks left over from fire techniques cast long ago.

Naruto had already scavenged most of the stuff left around. He didn't particularly like using partially damaged tools, but it wasn't exactly a choice. With the prices that the shop owners were charging him, it was better to resort to the supplies he would find in the training grounds.

Today, Naruto found himself traveling further and further into the woods than he usually went, hoping to find some kunai or shuriken that he may have missed before.

After about 45 minutes of walking with no results, he was ready to turn back and head home to unlock his new book. As he turned to leave, a glint of sunlight caught his eye. Up in a tree off to his right, he could make out the metallic gleam of a kunai's handle.

Naruto smiled to himself as he set his book down and began clambering up the thick trunk. He slowly inched himself up the bark, until he could finally stand on the wide branch and get a good look at it. The blade was buried hilt-deep inside the bark. Naruto took hold of the handle, which was bigger in comparison to the other kunai he had used, and pulled with all of his might.

After three of four tugs, he finally managed to yank out the blade only to discover something different.

"The hell is this?"

The blade wasn't shaped like normal kunai. It seemed to have three prongs that shot out from the handle. Speaking of which, he had never held a kunai with such a bulky handle.

"Aww man, the thing must be broken," he pouted to himself and got ready to chuck it away, when he caught sight of something on the handle.

Naruto was no expert, but he certainly recognized an advanced formula when he saw one. He ran his hand along the handle, rubbing over the complex formula he had never seen before. His eyes darted over the kanji, and he couldn't make heads-or-tails of it. With his limited knowledge, he could only pick up bits and pieces it.

This was more advanced than anything he had seen in his books. It was something unknown, and that sent an exhilarating chill down his spine.

Now this was what he considered a challenge. While jiji's seal was complicated for an average beginner, he would have it solved within 15 minutes, maybe 10 if he was really pushed. That would be a breeze considering the security seal was timed to collapse in after an hour.

This was something new, and it could possibly take him years to figure out. Never one to back down from a challenge, he tossed the kunai in the air, liking the way it felt compared to others, before making up his mind. A big grin found its way across his face as he slowly made his way back down the tree. He picked up his book and started to make his way back to the village, his eyes never leaving the mysterious formula on the weird kunai.


	3. Chapter 3 - First Steps

Chapter 3 – First Steps

 _2 years later_

The blonde ten-year-old sat in the middle of the clearing, moving with as much precision he could muster. Slowly and painfully, he weaved and flicked his brush across the parchment, leaving smooth, clean strokes in its wake. He brought his arm down for the final stroke and slowly began to draw the final kanji, all the while pumping as steady a stream of chakra as he could manage.

Finally, he finished and gazed upon his work, letting out a sigh of relief. A smile erupted on his face. He opened his mouth to shout, "Yatta!" only for the seal to explode in his face, sending him skidding back several yards.

"...oww, " was all the boy could groan, as he tried to sit up.

The entire front of his body stung and his goggles were clouded with soot. He tried to clean them with the back of his hands, as he mentally reprimanded himself.

He had left the tip of his brush on the page. When he had grown excited, a surge of chakra had ran through his body and, by extension, through the brush and into the seal, setting it off.

He muttered a curse as he dragged his aching body out of the clearing towards the cool shade of the tree line. He leaned back against the tree and winced as he inspected the damage. His hands were bright red, and several blisters were already forming.

Could have been worse.

He cringed as he remembered the first time he had attempted to make an exploding tag. Of course, he had set it way higher than he should have for a first attempt. The front of his shirt had been burned away, and the flesh on his hands and chest had been completely seared off.

That had been a very unpleasant day at the hospital due to his aching body and the scolding he received from the Hokage. Kitsune had dropped by and gave him his signature silent scolding, which was even worse. His aura and stare had made him feel even guiltier than when Iruka had come by.

Seeing now as a good a time as any, he decided to call a break, at least until his hands stopped feeling like he had grasped a piece of hot metal.

He closed his eyes and relished the feeling of the wind racing across his face. He sure was growing more and more busy lately. He barely had any time to appreciate the tiny moments like this. There was just so much he had to do. He had to keep up his pace with his fuinjutsu studies. By now, he was about half way through the medium class books. He also had to keep on top of the lessons that Kitsune and Nee-chan had taught him. Then, he had his own secret projects, which took up most of his time and were extremely difficult.

He had one project set aside to help Nee-chan with her own special problem, and another working out the secret of his mystery kunai that he had found in the woods.

He absentmindedly took said kunai out of his pocket and gazed at the handle for what seemed like the millionth time. He had made a lot of progress deciphering it. Well, a lot of progress for a beginner anyways. He had known the thing was complicated when he had first found it, but now that he was halfway through the middle class, he was starting to truly grasp the complexity of the seal formula.

When he had first started, it was all just a complicated mess that made his head spin. So, he did what Kitsune had taught him to do when faced with a problem: break it down and solve it by parts.

After using a copy seal and expanding the formula onto a larger sheet, he was dumbfounded by the complexity of it. He had barely made his way through one fourth of the seal and it still barely made any sense. All he had been able to decipher so far was that it had something to do with an equal exchange of matter and energy.

He would have mistaken it for a storage seal if it weren't for the lack of the clear indicators found in all storage seals no matter what their size. That plus how dense and complicated the formula was lead him to believe that it had to be something more.

However, his grades had started to take a serious dip due to his free time being spent on his own progress. His bunshin was still a mess and no matter what he did, he just couldn't get it. However, this only made him more determined to show off all that he could do with his fuinjutsu during the exam so that they would overlook his poor bunshin.

Not getting anywhere unraveling the mystery of the weird kunai, he sighed and tucked it back in his bag before opening his latest book and waiting for his hands to heal.

* * *

Near the back west corner of the Hyuuga clan's compound was the clan's library. It was a building that towered over the rest of the complex, with multiple levels above and below ground. The first level contained a brightly lit reading area with basic information and resources for anyone in the clan to access. The floor below it was designated specifically for the branch members. While branch members and main family could both access this level, the one directly below it was strictly reserved for the main-house families. Below that level was an even smaller level reserved only for main-family members who were directly related to the head of the clan.

In the back corner of the first floor sat a young, lavender-eyed girl. She was snuggled into a cushion of pillows, pouring over yet another story regaling the triumph of the main-house over another clan during the times before the hidden villages.

Hinata loved reading. When she was younger, her mother would read to her for hours on end. Her soothing voice would always put her at ease and lull her to sleep. She loved this spot due to its quiet atmosphere and distance away from most of the compound. Whenever she got upset or disappointed in herself, she would retreat within the walls of the library and speed through book after book to ignore the pain.

While most of the library's contents involved jyuuken techniques and clan history, there were also poems and stories crafted by members of the clan. She loved the poetry from the branch-house section especially. They were filled with such passion and emotion that was rare to see up front within the clan's walls. They also made her sad as they were yet another reminder of the harsh divide the cage bird seal was causing the family.

Closing another embellished story of a Hyuuga victory, the ten-year-old girl made her way back down to the second level to return it to its spot.

Today the library was mostly empty. It was growing later into the evening, and people had mostly trickled out. She enjoyed staying for as long as the librarian would allow her, before she would be forced to return to the house. She ran her hand along the wooden bookshelves as she walked down the aisle where she had picked up her book. Finding its spot, she happily sat it back in place and turned to leave.

As she started heading towards the stairs, she felt a cold chill flow down her spine. She whipped around scanning the room for anyone else. She started to tremble as no one was in sight. She could have sworn she had heard a whisper, and it had been uncomfortably close to her.

Hands shaking, she forced herself to make a seal and activate her byakugan. The world melted away into black and white as she peered through the bookshelves. Sure enough, the entire floor was empty. The only person lingering in the building was still the librarian sitting at her desk, stamping at paperwork.

Her head was telling her to rush up the stairs, but her feet were planted firmly in place. She felt a slight tug in her gut, and she slowly started walking deeper into the room.

She kept going deeper and deeper, until she found herself standing at the gated entrance to the third sub level, which was reserved only for the direct family of the clan head.

Her whole body was shaking and wanted to flee, but she steeled herself and thought of an adventurous, young blonde before steeling her resolve. As she passed through the gate, her hand passed over the seal designated to detect and activate the cage-bird seal, and her hand unconsciously went to her forehead.

She grabbed a candle from the wall and lit it with a low-level fire jutsu. Nothing special, just something taught at the academy to help light fires on missions.

She descended down the stairway and creaked open the wooden door to the bottom floor. This was honestly the first time she had ever ventured down here, and she was surprised by how small it was compared to the rest of the building. Even though she had access to it, she had never felt like coming down here. The atmosphere it excluded just reminded her too much of the council.

There were fewer scrolls on this floor, but they were still neatly organized and piled on what few shelves there were. The room was full of secret and restricted jyuuken techniques known only to the clan heads and unedited versions of the clan's history.

As she ventured through the shelves, she caught sight of a rather large scroll sitting a pedestal. Unlike many of the other scrolls down here, this one was absent of cobwebs and dust. There were very few people with the access to this floor, and none of them would have come here with cleaning on their mind. That would be below their station.

To see one in such clean condition shocked her. She ran her fingertip along the kanji for tiger as she felt the same chill from before. She whipped her head around and happened to glimpse the faintest glow disappear behind a wooden door at the end of the room.

She tentatively tiptoed inch-by-inch up to the door. She reached out with her shaking fingers and touched the door handle.

" _Hinata_ …"

Her back slammed against the door, and her byakugan flared to life, darting all across the room.

Nothing. Still nothing.

Her heart was beating in overtime and every instinct was telling her to run, but she slowly suppressed that feeling and deactivated her eyes.

She was going to keep going. She just had this strange obligation to continue.

Taking a deep breath, she creaked open the door and peaked inside. Even when she poked her candle through the doorway, she could barely see anything. She creeped down the stone hallway before entering a small round room.

It was pitch black and the air felt cold and damp. She glanced up towards the ceiling and was surprised she couldn't see it. Lifting her candle as high as she could, it barely illuminated the walls of the room. She lowered the candle with care and skipped a little to the side as hot wax dripped down its side. As she titled the candle to drip off the rest of the melted wax, she made her way towards the walls. When it finally came into view, she was surprised to discover a white rock with strange engravings. She ran her hand through one of the grooves and started walking to her right. She followed the circular path of the walls, and was surprised to discover that the strange stone encompassed the entire room, aside from the doorway. It rose up about 2 feet above her head, and she faintly make out faded outlines of something on the walls.

As she glanced back at the ground, she noticed a spot in the center where the sand had been disturbed. It looked as if someone or many people had stood in that exact spot. She hesitantly walked towards the center and faced the wall opposite of the hallway.

Slowly, she raised her hand due to some unknown urge and activated her byakugan.

In an instant, the entire room was visible and it overwhelmed her. The rock wall seemed to light up and the previously illegible markings bombarded her with information, most of which she didn't understand. The walls above the rocks depicted ancient murals and paintings of people resembling the Hyuuga praying and guarding over a large white circle in the sky.

Her mind was swirling with phrases and images, most of which she couldn't comprehend. Even in her stupor, she was able to catch one or two phrases from the wall such as "the will of the moon people" and their "duty to guard."

Hinata was confused and fascinated at the same time. This was unlike anything she had ever seen.

It was beautiful.

It was exhilarating.

It was terrifying.

She froze when she finally noticed that she was no longer the only one in the room. She slowly turned around to see a white, blurred figure standing in the exit of the hallway. She breath caught in her throat and she began backing away from the figure. With every step she took away from it, it grew closer. She felt her back press against the stone wall, and she curled up into a ball.

The blurry, horned figure made incomprehensible sounds as it moved towards her. She closed her eyes and covered her ears as she only picked up bits and pieces. Tears stung her face as she shook in fear.

"Help! Please! Please leave me alone!"

"Hinata!"

Her eyes shot open, and her father stormed into the room straight through the figure, dispelling it.

He crouched down in front of her and she flung herself onto him. He winced at how tight she was gripping his neck as he placed her arms around her back. She was vigorously shaking and muttering something about a ghost.

Hiashi had been beyond shocked. Earlier, he had been meaning to talk to Hinata regarding her training, when he discovered no one in the compound knew where she was. Usually this just meant she was holed up in the library, but when he arrived, he couldn't find her anywhere. As others helped him search, he had activated his byakugan to discover a major swell of chakra emanating from the main family secret room.

The amount of chakra radiating from the room was almost blinding. He forced himself through it and managed to see the outline of his daughter standing in the middle of the room. He raced through the levels of the library and tore across the final floor to see his daughter curled on the floor crying out for help.

He himself had stood in this room attempting to decipher the Hyuuga Ring to no avail, as had every clan head before him. In all of his research and personal experience, he had never seen or heard of anything like this happening before.

Away from the eyes of the elders and the rest of the clan, Hiashi took a rare moment and let his emotions show, as he held his daughter in his arms and tried to calm her. He ran his hand down her hair and back in an attempt to calm her down. It had been years since he had carried her like this. He stood up from the ground and slowly started taking her back out of the chamber.

It would be weeks before Hinata would find the courage return to the library. A whole year before she was finally willing to go back down to that level by herself.

As her father carried her away, Hinata squeezed his arm and buried her face in his shoulder. It would not be until the next morning that she would discover the small scroll clenched in her hand.

The few words she had comprehended from the figure echoed in her mind.

" _This is just a beginning_."

" _Steel yourself_."

" _Your first steps must be taken at your own pace_."

 **Author's Note:**

 **Thank you everyone for the support. It's been great seeing the reviews and follows for the story. I've had this story in my mind for quite a while, and I'm excited to finally share it. If you all would be willing to leave a review and let me hear feedback that would be a tremendous help.**


	4. Chapter 4 - Brooding Musing

**Chapter 4 – Brooding Musing**

"Now, can anyone tell me the name of the Earth country unit credited for the most damage along the border of Grass and Fire country during the Third Shinobi War?"

Iruka's eyes wandered the classroom as Sakura's hand shot into the air.

"Yes, Sakura?"

"The Crimson Colony," she replied.

"Correct. Now, who can tell me why this particular group had this name?"

This time both Sakura and Shino's hands were in the air. Iruka nodded to Shino, who replied in his monotone voice, "This title was due to their control of _Solenopsis mandibularis_ , or fire ants, through a summoning contract."

"Very good Shino. Yes, the Crimson Colony was a very feared group within the Iwa military due to their very useful summons. They could summon ants ranging in size from the tiny variety we have at home to ants the size of small dogs and horses." Many of the students shivered at the prospect.

"The Crimson Colony used their summons to help move troops underground through a massive system of tunnels. They could traverse the battlefield bringing reinforcements behind enemy lines or alter the terrain by causing potholes below enemy encampments. In close combat, they were especially dangerous due to their bite, which released formic acid into their prey. The larger the ant, the deadlier concentration of acid. However, these are not the reasons why they are credited for severe damage in Grass Country. Does anyone else know why?"

Unsurprisingly, Shino's hand was in the air again. When it came to anything involving insects, he and his family were bound to be interested.

"One particular species among them could raise their core temperature to 2000° F, causing them to glow white. They would march across Grass country burning acres of tall grass making it difficult for enemy forces to hide their movements and for the occupants of the country to aide either side."

"Very good Shino. Now, I assume you can tell me the drawbacks of this as well."

Shino pushed up his glasses and he said, "Many insects such as _Solenopsis mandibularis_ take in oxygen through their spiracles on the sides of their bodies. Their ability to raise their core temperature was primarily used to ward off intruders and attackers from their nests. Earth country's tactic backfired as the smoke generated from the fires clogged up their trachea leaving them deprived of oxygen. So to complete a massive scale attack, the ants would have to be sacrificed in the process."

Shino finished his speech with a frown. He did not like the waste of insect life on such a large scale.

Iruka nodded as a hand shot up in the air, from the back of the class.

"Iruka-sensei, if they couldn't be killed by fire, and could just dig their way out of doton jutsus, how did we beat them?"

"Very good question Shira. Well, as I'm sure Shino will tell you, the heart of all insect colonies lies with their queen. The details of the mission have been kept secret, but the Crimson Colony's downfall came due to the loss of their queen summon. Without her, new generations of the insects could not be born, and the surviving male soldier ants stopped responding and died. Now, how did this affect the tide of the war?"

As Iruka went on with his lesson about Earth country's tactics, 11-year-old Sasuke Uchiha leaned against the window, lazily eyeing a hawk circling outside.

He was bored and thankful that this would be his final year at the academy before he could graduate. He had already read over the course material and made plenty of outlines regarding the history class. Truthfully, he found the class incredibly dull. He didn't like to be kept up inside. He wanted to be out learning practical knowledge that would him survive in the world of shinobi.

But he could only get so far teaching himself from the taijutsu and ninjutsu scrolls he found in the Uchiha district, and needed someone to help him one-on-one. He knew better than to attempt to move on to the more advanced set of scrolls without help. Especially after the incident when he tried a high-class fire jutsu that exploded in his face, leaving him with burns and a nasty case of chakra exhaustion. He was lucky that a jounin had been returning from training and heard the explosion. A scolding from the Hokage and doctor had taught him a valuable lesson to not try anything too far over his head without some supervision.

Still, he had to be stronger. So, he made sure to take his time mastering the basics before moving on to the advanced steps. He could only hope that his sensei was capable enough to help him fulfill his goals.

Speaking of which, he turned his attention back to the class as he thought about which of them he would be stuck with as his teammates.

Out of all of his classmates, he probably respected the Aburame the most. The two of them weren't friends by any stretch of the imagination, but he was impressed by the boy's calculative mind and skills. Sure he was quiet and reserved, but then again so was he.

It was wishful thinking to think that he would be able to get away with not having a kunoichi placed on his team. He was sick of all of them. He was sick of every last one of them. Always swooning and ogling him everywhere he went. It was annoying.

Well, not all of them were like that. He glanced over his shoulder towards the back corner of the room, where a white-eyed girl diligently paid attention to Iruka's every word.

No, the Hyuuga was not like the rest. He could at least tolerate her. As one would assume from someone of her clan, her taijutsu skills were unmatched by the other girls of class. The only reason he felt that she wasn't the top kunoichi was because of her grades. While there was no denying she was intelligent, Sakura was ahead of her in that department. On top of that, the grade for taijutsu was only based on the academy style and did not take other factors into consideration.

The only thing that bugged him about her was her shyness. He didn't know what kind of situation she faced at home, but whatever it was, it had obviously molded her into the withdrawn person she was. The only times he ever saw her come out of her shell was whenever…"

"NARUTO! Pay attention!" Iruka shouted as he threw his chalk, pegging Naruto in the forehead.

"Oww, Iruka-sensei," he drawled in a whine, "I didn't do anything."

"That's the problem," Iruka replied as he climbed up the step to his row. "What is this?" he asked picking up Naruto's "notes."

On the piece of paper was a badly drawn doodle of what appeared to be Naruto with kunai in hand as he flew towards a group of large, cartoon ants on fire.

Sasuke could only roll his eyes as Iruka started going off on a tangent about making good notes. As he turned his attention away from the bickering duo, he spotted Hinata off in the corner barely controlling her giggling over the antics of the blonde.

Yes, he was the only one she lit up for. It was odd for him to see the only girl in his class that wasn't head-over-heels for him seemingly pay attention to the class's dead last.

Well, he couldn't call him that anymore. Although he would never stop calling him that just to get on the blonde boy's nerves, Sasuke had to admit that Naruto no longer held that position. That title was purely due to his abysmal grades and mistreatment from the teachers. Sasuke wasn't blind. He had seen throughout the years as the teachers and the villagers had shunned and ostracized the boy.

They were fools.

Sasuke knew firsthand that Naruto wasn't as stupid as other people believed him to be. At first he couldn't believe his eyes, but it would come to pass that Naruto could be found everyday at lunch reading a book. Since none of the other kids would let him sit with them, he had taken to sitting by himself off under the tree in the corner of the courtyard.

One day, Sasuke had been visiting the shinobi library, when he came across the same books that the dobe always carried with him. The green color and spiral design on the cover could not be mistaken for anything else. Curiosity overcame him as he grabbed the closest volume of the set and opened it. To put it bluntly, he couldn't understand a word of it. He was surprised to say the least that the supposed "dead last" was studying what was considered by many to be the most complex of the shinobi arts.

He wanted to shake off the whole thing as a ploy by the prankster to make himself seem smarter, but one day, he had seen first-hand what the blonde could do as he watched him seal away an old lady's bag of groceries to help lighten her load. No, Naruto may not be the brightest person, but in regards to sealing, Sasuke could tell that he was something special.

After his initial surprise and small pang of jealousy, he had quickly shaken it off. Let the goofy idiot meddle with seals. They had never really interested Sasuke in the first place.

What really bothered Sasuke about the blonde was neither his aptitude with seals nor his tendency to goof off. No, what truly bothered him was how much the blonde reminded him of his older brother's friend Shisui.

This wasn't just because that they both could always be found smiling and had a joking personality. What truly startled him was how _fast_ the blonde was.

Now, Kiba was fast. It was one of his strong suits and essential for his feral fighting style. Naruto's speed put his to shame. He didn't know when the change started to happen, but now he actually was starting to find it challenging when he sparred with the blonde.

Not because of his fighting style. Kami no. Naruto's fighting style was simply pathetic. He mostly fought like an all-out brawler. There were occasional glimpses of moves and techniques that he was unaware of, but it seemed like he was either just learning a style and trying to incorporate it or just not very adept at it yet. It was obvious when he poorly tried incorporating the academy taijutsu style into whatever the hell he was attempting, and it came together in a big sloppy mess.

But the boy's sheer speed made up for his ineptitude in technique. He was even faster than he was, though he was loath to admit it. On top of that, the guy just didn't know when to stay down. Whenever he got hit, he just bounced back up like nothing hit him. The only times that Naruto even came remotely close to beating him would be because the blonde would tire him out.

What kept Sasuke on top was his precision and technique that he had spent hours perfecting. Naruto just telegraphed his movements too much, making it easy to exploit his weakness.

Sasuke remembered a particular session, when Naruto had finally been able to get through his guard and deliver a clean hit to his jaw, knocking him back. The blonde had been so shocked and ecstatic that Sasuke was easily able to bounce back and answer Naruto's hit with two jabs to the stomach and a kick to the head.

The boy fell on his back trying to regain the wind that had been knocked out of him. As he reeled on the ground, Sasuke absentmindedly rubbed his jaw. That had actually really hurt.

Before the blonde could get back up and retaliate, Iruka had intervened naming Sasuke the victor. Naruto grumbled but stuck his hand out when Iruka asked him to make the seal of reconciliation. Sasuke returned the gesture and smirked at him.

It hadn't been one of his arrogant smirks, but rather a smirk of acknowledgement. He had actually gotten a clean hit on him for the first time, and he had done without resorting to any tricks. He had done it purely with his own ability in taijutsu. The blonde had been surprised by the hidden message and offered one of his rare, grateful smiles in return.

Sasuke was never able to find out how the blonde had managed to get that fast. His pride prevented him from simply asking the boy how he had done it. Even if he knew deep down that Naruto was better than he appeared, he would rather be caught in the midst of a sea of roaring fan girls than ask the "dead last" for help.

The thought made him shiver. He supposed he could do worse than having the blonde as a teammate. At least he was passionate about a topic uncommon in the shinobi world. It would at least be better than being paired with the Haruno or the Yamanaka. He shuddered again as he turned his attention out of the window again. He watched the bird flying over head as he began to think about his training regiment he would begin when class was finally over.


	5. Chapter 5 - Today is the Day

Chapter 5 – Today is the Day

Hiashi Hyuuga sat at his desk shifting through the mountain of paper work that was the bane of all clan leaders in Konoha. As he worked on his proposal to another clan, he found his thoughts drifting back to the puzzle that had surrounded his eldest daughter.

It had been two years since the incident within the Hyuuga Clan library, and his mind was still trying to process what exactly had happened.

For centuries, the main family was tasked with advancing the research and decryption of the mysterious stone ring. After numerous attempts and years of research, only a handful of lines had ever been translated. Only two things were known for certain about the stone: that it required the byakugan to read its contents and the history surrounding how the stone arrived under the clan.

The monument had been a treasure safeguarded within the Hyuuga compound long before they migrated to Konoha. During the times of feuding clans, it was a shrine where the current leader would come under the full moon and meditate in the center. It was said to contain the secret origins of the clan, the byakugan, and the true duty of the clan. In the clan's early years, only the current clan leader was informed of the secrets within the tablet and how to reveal them.

Now, no one knew its contents. Many cited this due to a particular fire that had erupted during a surprise attack on the clan's compound. The raid from a rival clan resulted in almost half of the clan's documents being destroyed. While some scrolls could be rewritten from memory, some information was forever lost. The leader of the clan had perished during the battle, and had failed to pass on the secrets of the shrine to his heir.

After this incident, it was decided that any discoveries regarding the Hyuuga ring were to be shared with the entire elder council in fear of losing such knowledge again.

So much time and effort had been poured into recovering what they had lost, only to yield poor results. Others may have given up and simply left it as an unsolved relic to be forgotten to time, but they were the Hyuuga clan. They were drenched in tradition and would never back down from a challenge just because it was difficult. Their pride and sense of duty would not let them.

So to say that the elders had been uncharacteristically flabbergasted at Hinata's reaction with the monument would be an understatement. It wasn't well hidden that the council thought poorly of his older daughter and favored her prodigious younger sister. For her to finally elicit any sort activity from the relic that they themselves had failed at achieving was a massive blow to their pride.

Even Hiashi had felt a momentary stab of jealousy due to his own efforts, but it had been quickly overcome by a swell of pride. The incident had given him a much-needed advantage with dealing with the council.

They had recently brought up the topic of who would be chosen as clan heiress and who would be sealed once again. Hiashi had tried his best to postpone the decision for as long as he could. He had been buying as much time as he could so his daughters could enjoy what little time they had without the pressure of the seal looming overhead.

Now, the council was torn apart. They still favored Hanabi, but this incident created an unprecedented problem. If Hinata were branded, she would be unable to return to the floor reserved only for main branch families, ruining their greatest breakthrough in the mystery of the ring. While they could alter the seal along the door and make an exception for her, they were uncomfortable with the idea for making exceptions for the side-branch. So they settled to postpone the decision for an undecided amount of time, until they could come to a consensus. In the meantime, they wanted Hiashi to make Hinata interact the ruin as much as possible.

Shortly after the incident had occurred and Hinata had finally settled down, Hiashi attempted to bring Hinata back down again and recreate the event.

He almost chuckled as he remembered Hinata's reaction. She had been uncharacteristically adamant and refused to go back down to the bottom floor. Even after he delivered a direct order, she still wouldn't budge.

If it weren't for the importance of the subject, Hiashi might have been proud of her for standing up against him, even though it was out of fear. He eventually had to coerce her with the promise of something that had been very important to her late mother. The catch? It was on the same floor as the stone monument.

Although her body was racked with fear, she held her head high as she followed behind father, lighting the way with a light fire jutsu in his palm.

After all of the buildup, he had been sadly disappointed. The room remained as quiet and dark as it always had. With her byakugan, Hinata informed him that the phrases that had been visible during the incident were still clear, and he made sure to copy the symbols and corresponding translation before he left.

Hinata had almost let out a sigh of relief when nothing happened. She was anxious to leave the room that had plagued her dreams for weeks. It had taken all of her courage just to return the library at all.

Before she could leave the room, her father turned his attention away from his scroll.

"Hinata, although nothing has happened today. I want you to keep attempting to recreate what transpired weeks ago."

Hinata had naturally pale skin, but now it was turning so white that it almost glowed in the darkness of the room.

"Please, tou-san," she pleaded, "Please don't make me come back her. I-"

"Hinata," he said sternly, "You are a kunoichi and more importantly, you are a Hyuuga. You will **not** let fear control your actions. Am I understood?"

"But-"

"Am I understood?"

She ducked her head down, but slowly nodded her head showing she understood.

"Good. You will come down here at least once a week and try to react what happened before. You are to inform me immediately if anything happens."

He turned to leave the room, but paused in the doorway. Without turning around he said, "You will never overcome something you fear unless you confront it. The more you face it, the less it can control you. Never let fear control your life."

After a pause of silence as Hinata stared surprised at her father's advice, he continued.

"Now, I do believe a promise is a promise. Come, let us find your mother's scroll."

As he left back into the other room, Hinata followed swiftly behind him, smiling for the first time all day.

As they shuffled out, Hiashi reflected on the newly translated phrases Hinata had supplied.

"The will of the moon people."

"…the duty to guard…"

These new verses caused an unfamiliar feeling to form in his chest. Although he was now entrenched in the games of politics, Hiashi was still a shinobi at heart. His intuition had saved his life more times than he could count, and now it was warning him that something was coming.

He did not like being in the dark about something, especially when it came to his clan. He could tell there was more to this mystery, but dammed if he could see what it was.

Drawn out of his thoughts, Hiashi returned his attention from his trip down memory lane and returned to the letter he was writing.

This was a problem better solved sooner rather than later, and he decided it was time to take some unprecedented action. While the elders would not agree with him, he could admit that neither he nor they were getting anywhere.

It was time for some outside opinions.

He signed his letter as he called for one his messengers.

"Please see to it that this proposal is taken to Shikaku Nara immediately. Also, please find Hinata and tell her I would like to talk to her."

"Of course Hiashi-sama," the servant said as he bowed.

As he left the room, Hiashi tried to move his thoughts away from the mess of the library and move on to something else. Today was an important day after all. Today was the day Hinata took her first step into the real world.

He almost smirked, but there was a knock at his door as a light voice rang out, "You wished to see me father?"

His face immediately shifted into his trademark stern composure as he told her to enter.

She entered the room, keeping her back straight and eyes forward as she bowed before him.

Hiashi was paused before speaking. "Today is an important day for you and I expect only your best. Anything short of that would dishonor the clan."

"Hai tou-sama."

He nodded. "You are the heir to the most powerful clan in the village. Your actions represent not only your own strength, but also the strength of the clan. We cannot tolerate showing weakness. Do not disappoint us."

"Understood."

"Good, then you are dismissed."

She nodded and bowed once again before scuffling out of the room. Once he was sure she was out of earshot, he let out a sigh. He had to keep up appearances after all and it was too late to change his technique now. Hinata would have to flourish on her own or drown.

He stared at one of the few pictures that adorned his desk. One was of himself and his wife along with his two daughters. It had been taken shortly after Hanabi was born. The other, that he held his focus, was of a trio of children standing in front of a man in a jounin jacket. The man with spiky white hair looked as though he was booming with laughter, seemingly amused at the antics of his students.

Today was an important day that would shape the rest of her life. Her career was now out of his hands and about to be placed in someone else's.

He sighed as visions of the past played in his mind as he before he returned to the surplus of work that threatened to engulf him.

* * *

As unpopular as Hinata was within the clan, the opposite could be said for how the villagers regarded her. No matter what the elders said, the civilian population adored the kind Hyuuga princess. Unlike many in her clan, she would always make sure to bow back to anyone who addressed her. She would always take time out of her day to talk with the small children running around the village.

Today was no different. As she made her way to the academy, Hinata returned every smile and cheerily responded to the shopkeepers who wished her luck as she passed.

Today was a big day. _The_ big day.

The day she finally became a kunoichi.

It was uncommon for Hinata to be full of such confidence, but today she was sure of herself. Sure, she still withdrawn and quiet, but a more astute observer would notice the spring in her step and the different way she carried herself. Due to her impeccable chakra control required of her to utilize the jyuuken techniques, the academy's three techniques had been simple and required no time to learn. Of course that didn't stop her from spending hours in private making sure that all of them were perfect.

She walked around a pothole and shifted the weight on her back. She fumbled with the box in her bag making sure that the orange wrapping paper wasn't visible. She'd die of embarrassment if someone saw the square bulge and asked whom it was for.

Today wasn't just a special day for her. Today would be Naruto's last attempt at passing the academy. Although she was concerned, she had confidence that today would be the day he finally passed.

She knew had been working extremely hard to keep up with the others. She always saw him sitting in the corner during the lunch with his nose in his books jotting down notes, and never wanted to disturb him. It always impressed her seeing him try so hard to improve himself. His determination was what helped her motivate herself to push through whenever she felt down. She was always impressed by his attempts to improve himself and she never wanted to get in his way.

But today was going to be the day it all finally paid off. Today he could finally get to show off what he could do.

* * *

( _Flashback_ )

One day, she had been roaming the training fields searching for a particular herb that grew in the areas with high concentrations of chakra. As she finally found the small plant, she realized she was not alone. She had stumbled across the blonde deep in concentration with a strange kunai in his hands.

He had multiple scrolls and books spread out around him in a circle. They contained all of the notes he had ever taken on his secret project, for today was a special day. Unknown to her, Hinata was about to witness one of the biggest milestones of Naruto's life.

He had finally made a breakthrough with his secret project. He had been experimenting with creating his own seals when he stumbled across a strange connection.

After spying on a chunin and jounin sparring one day, Naruto had noticed how difficult it seemed for one of the chunin to land their raiton jutsus on their older, superior partner. Obviously his ability came from his experience, but this had made Naruto curious about what he would do if he were to come across an opponent, who outclassed him that much.

So he first set out to solve this conundrum with the original problem: ensuring that a jutsu would land. The problem with many techniques, such as Sasuke's fireball jutsu, was that it was relatively easy for the opponent to dodge. Which is the academy tried to drill into their students' heads to reserve their highly powerful jutsu for the end of a fight, after a opponent has been worn down or restrained.

If you were facing a stronger opponent, this wasn't really a possibility. Any jounin worth their rank would dismantle a genin in a heartbeat if they were serious. Even if a genin were able to fire off a jutsu, more than likely the jonin would dodge unless they were severely distracted.

Naruto first addressed this problem with his first example: landing a raiton jutsu.

So Naruto got to work creating a way to ensure that the electricity would connect with its target. It came to him in a flash of brilliance one rainy day as a stray bolt of lightning struck his apartment. Create a seal that functioned like a lightning rod.

As he worked on this, he noticed several patterns for attracting the electricity seemed familiar. It took him awhile to realize that the seals were familiar to the ones on his tri-pronged kunai. It seemed that the kanji served as a conduit that connected a source of chakra with the marking. It also seemed that the more chakra the object connected too, the more chakra necessary to pull off whatever the technique was.

Spurred by this development, Naruto had a fierce internal debate about reaching out to it with his own chakra. Every book he had ever read about seals warned him about activating a seal without knowing what it would do. But, however smart Naruto had become regarding seals, he was still a reckless child that loved to test the limits. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

So, Naruto sat that day surrounded by his research with barrier seals ready to activate if anything went wrong.

He let out a sigh as he got up and planted the kunai about 25 feet away. He wrapped a remote activation seal around the handle, before returning to the circle.

He took a deep breath and ran through the hand signs. He closed his eyes and let his chakra reach out to the remote seal. Once it was linked, he began pushing his chakra into the seal in the handle. Once he linked with the seal, his mind was assaulted with a whole new form of sense. It was if his mind was being fed two different displays of the world around him. Suddenly, he was aware of the seal's location as though it was a shining light in the dark. It stood out like a beacon of yellow light.

"Wow," was all Naruto could muster.

As his chakra lingered in the seal, he could feel it molding itself to fit the seal's jutsu until it happened.

Hinata could only let out a gasp as Naruto simply disappeared. All that was left of the blond was a bright yellow flash.

Just as quickly as he disappeared, the blonde reappeared and fell to the ground in a heap. He shook his head, as he tried to stand back up. He had never felt so disoriented in his life

"What the heck was-"

He was cut off as he felt a searing pain, and his stomach suddenly decided that he needed a wake up call.

* * *

( _End Flashback)_

Hinata had been shocked to say the least. She remembered how she couldn't help but stare at him for the rest of the week. It wasn't until he asked her if he had something on his face that she was able to turn away out of embarrassment.

If he was able to learn something like that all on his own, she was sure that taking something as simple as the academy's test would be a cakewalk.

Her thoughts were interrupted as a shadow passed over her head and called out her name.

Was that…

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha took one last glance over his shoulder at the monument before turning and leaving the cemetery. He had a promise to keep and today was the first step towards making that promise a reality.

As he walked through the Uchiha district, he almost shuddered out how empty it felt. It was nothing but a ghost town. A shell of its former glory.

That would all change. He would make sure of that.

Entering the village, the civilians all stopped to bow towards the last Uchiha. The prodigal boy destined to return the clan to its formal glory.

He almost wanted to scoff at them. All that they had to give was pity, and he wanted none of it. While it did sometimes stoke his ego to hear others complement his talents, it was never personal. It didn't come from a place of true appreciation. Besides, the feeling would always be shot down by the knowledge of how _that_ man had been 3, no, 4 steps ahead of him by that stage.

But today was special, and he wasn't going to let that man bring him down. Today was his first step towards his ultimate goal. No longer would he have to waste his time the boring lectures of the academy. No longer would he have to put up with those useless fan girls everyday (unless he was cursed by Kami herself and teamed up with one). Today was his first step towards his goal.

Today was the day he became a ninja.

* * *

His thoughts were echoed by the world's most unpredictable ninja as he stared over the village deep in thought.

'Today is finally the day! I am going to become a ninja!'

All of his hard work outside of the classroom was finally going to be put to the test and he was going to show them all what he could really do.

"NARUTOOOOO!"

Speaking of which, he turned his head down below and stuck out his tongue at the assortment of chunin and ANBU gathering below him.

He noticed a few streaks darting towards him from above and decided it was time to go. Cutting the rope dangling him in the air, the boy started to free-fall down towards the ground and the group below him. Twisting midair, he kicked off the stone wall and fell at angle toward a roof.

As he got closer to the roof at speeds less than comfortable for his observers, his hands whipped together in a hand sign and yelled, "RELEASE!"

Below him, multiple seals along the cliff side and ground activated, shooting columns of pressurized air into the sky. It wasn't enough to stop him, but it was certainly enough for him to control his descent and bounce of the rock wall onto a building.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, he shot off like a bat out of hell, closely followed by an assortment of chunin, jounin, and ANBU

Come on, guys!" he shouted over his shoulder. "I haven't even done anything this time!

Smirking, he crossed his hands in another hand sign, as multiple seals sprung to life. A cloud of smoke enveloped the cliff side and as it cleared, the people of Konoha could only stare in abject horror, as the Hokage monument was desecrated in paint.

"Now, I've done something!"

"You won't be getting away with this Uzumaki!" one chunin shouted at him.

The blonde boy smirked as he led through his carefully planned course through side alleys, rooftops, and buildings all across Konoha. He led the pack through his planned route, triggering traps and seals left and right, covering his pursuers in an assortment of undesirable materials, from glue and feathers to paint and cement. Laughing the entire time, Konoha's number one troublemaker woke the town by storm and loved every minute of it.

At one point, he jumped from one rooftop into the middle of the street, and couldn't help but chuckle as flew over someone he knew.

"HI HINATA-CHAN!" he yelled with a smile before taking off with a cloud of smoke behind him.

The girl could only stare in astonishment as the group of shinobi chasing the blond ran around her.

After a while, he decided it was finally time to call it quits and finally head to the academy.

As the chunin still left in the pursuit saw the boy make a sharp left turn, they began to smirk. Many knew it was a dead end, and they would finally be able to end this drawn out pursuit. They finally turned the corner only to be met with nothing. The boy was simply gone. The sensors in the group reached out but where unable to find him. It was as if he had simply vanished.

Halfway across the village on a rooftop overlooking a certain ramen stand, a single tri-pronged kunai was embedded in the ground. The next second, there was a flash of yellow and a young boy appeared as if from nowhere grinning victoriously. A short second later he hunched over and began violently regurgitating the contents of his stomach.

'Dam, every time,' he thought to himself.

At least it was becoming more manageable. He wiped the blood from his mouth on his sleeve and leaned against the railing for support. He reached down and pocketed the kunai before turning to admire his handiwork.

The Hokage Monument was decorated in a rainbow of colors and drawings, all planned out by his seals. Of course he had added a few tricks as well, curtesy of his fuinjutsu talents. The Second Hokage's eyes seemed to be crying as water poured continuously from the statue's eyes. A similar situation could be found on the head of the Sandaime as smoke seemed to be coming out of his ears. Even the Yondaime could not seem to escape the boy's wrath. The man's face was decorated with glitter, creating a bright shine off of the morning sun.

Naruto giggled to himself as he panted and regained his strength. Oh, it had been worth it. His final prank before he became a ninja, and he had pulled out all the stops to make it one to remember.

As he settled down, he finally noticed the other presence on the roof and gulped before trying to bolt off. He was caught and held by the hem of his shirt as he flailed trying to free himself from his captor.

"Going somewhere?" a voice that still sent shivers up his skin asked.

"N-nowhere Kitsune-san. W-what are you doing here?"

"I knew there were about 5 places that you probably show up at after that hot mess. Knowing you, I decided to follow your gut and stake out here. By the way, that technique still needs work."

"I know, I know," the boy said, resigned to his fate and finally stopping his struggling.

"So, where do you think we are going now?"

"To go have a pleasant talk with jiji?" the boy asked hopefully.

The masked teenager shook his head and replied, "No, we are off for a nice, long chat with Iruka-san. Wouldn't want to be late for today, now would we? I'm sure he'll be very understanding."

Naruto gulped as the world of pain he knew he was in for slowly approached him.

* * *

Hinata couldn't help but giggle as she watched Iruka go off and lecture Naruto about his terrible behavior. The two looked so much like brothers that at times it was hard to believe they weren't actually related.

Naruto at least looked a little ashamed as Iruka went off on him. After a while, he was finally able to make him stop by saying he could remove all he had done right now. The chunin was obviously confused, but allowed him to go on. Naruto clasped his hands together working his way through several hand signs before whispering release and pointing out of the window. Iruka and Hinata could only look in awe as the Hokage Monument looked as clear as it had the previous day.

"What did you do?" he asked.

"I just used the reverse seals I placed up there. I knew you were probably going to make me clean it up, so I decided to save some time."

He grinned and rubbed the back of his head as Iruka simply sighed. While he was still upset about the whole debacle, he was also quite proud of the level of skill and forethought Naruto needed to pull it off. He decided to let him off easy, with a promised visit with the Hokage after everything was over.

As everyone settled into their seats, Iruka stood in front of the class and began his speech.

"Before we start with the examinations, I just wanted to say how proud I am of all of you. You all have worked so hard to reach this point and I have been honored to be your teacher. Remember all of the lessons you have learned here and let them guide you to success out there in the real world."

And with that he began calling up the first students.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Now that was a looong chapter. This was originally the boring one that I said didn't like, so I added more to it to flesh it out, and it ended up being twice as long as the normal chapters are. I couldn't get this out earlier due to several conflicts that took precedence. This is fun to finally write, but there are obligations that have to be upheld.**

 **I'm really astonished by all of the follows/favorites. It really means a lot and helps motivate me to keep the chapters coming out on an almost daily basis. I would love it if you guys could drop a review or two, cause it really helps.**

 **And before anyone asks, no, Naruto does not have the Hiraishin down perfectly. In fact, he still doesn't know what it actually is. It will take him a** ** _looong_** **time before he can use it without any adverse affects. While they may seem harmless now, there is actually more to his reaction than at first glance.**


	6. Chapter 6 - Be Better

Chapter 6 – Be Better

The graduation exam for the academy was split up into five parts: a written exam, an accuracy test, a taijutsu spar, the academy three, and a special section to demonstrate any personal abilities that could warrant extra credit.

Many of the students from civilian families opted out from this particular section. They mostly felt that any skills that they could demonstrate would be unimpressive when compared to the abilities passed down through clan families. For example, Kiba and Akamaru showed off their Tsuuga, Hinata demonstrated katas of the jyuuken, and Sasuke let loose his clan's signature goukakyuu no jutsu. After the chatter over Sasuke's technique died down, Naruto was finally called up and he could barely contain his excitement. He ran to the center of the courtyard with his bag of sealing materials slung over his shoulder.

Iruka and the two teachers grading with him felt a sense of dread wash over them as the class prankster approached to demonstrate his "individual talent."

"Alright Naruto, what do you have planned for us today, and please be serious. You know this can go a long way to affect your grade."

"Don't you worry Iruka-sensei. I wouldn't mess this up for sake of a joke. This time, I **_am_** going to graduate. I'm ready to show you what I can really do!"

Iruka gave the confident smile. "Alright, and what do you have prepared?"

Naruto knelt and began pulling out scrolls and bottles of ink out of his bag. "I'm going to demonstrate some specials seals that I made all by myself! My presentation is going to have multiple parts, but I've got the really complicated one already made. I just wanted to show you that I can do the first part by myself before moving on."

Iruka was confused, but he still nodded. "Alright then, you may begin."

Naruto gave him one last smile, before his face changed to one of deep concentration. He dipped his brush into the special ink and began his careful strokes along the scroll.

"What the hell does that idiot think he's doing?" Kiba whispered to Shino, as the watched the blonde scribble away on some scroll.

"I believe he is attempting to utilize his proficiency in fuinjutsu for this segment of the test," Shino replied in his monotone voice.

"What proficiency? I love Naruto as much as the next guy, but the guy's not too bright. I know he sometimes uses seals for his pranks, but come on. Does he really think he's good enough for it to help him with the test?"

"Considering he is halfway through the intermediate series, one would assume that he knows what he is doing."

"How the hell do you know that?"

Shino raised a hand as one of his kikaichu insects crawled up his finger. "I send my helpers to observe everyone in the academy. I did it to learn as much as I could about my potential teammates and keeps tabs on them in the event something went awry during the day."

Kiba looked shocked for a moment, before grumbling, "I swear, if I see anything that even resembles a tick in Akamaru's fur, I'm gonna-"

"Done Iruka-sensei!" Naruto yelled as he wiped his brow, before handing the fruit of his labor over to to Iruka.

Iruka looked over the scroll pretending to inspect it, when he was really trying to save face in front of the other judges. To be honest, fuinjutsu had been a subject that always went over his head. Of course he had the required knowledge needed for someone of chunin rank, but he had never really looked too into it.

"Alright Naruto. It looks very impressive, but what does it do exactly?"

Naruto's face lit up with his signiture grin as he took back the scroll. "I'm happy to show ya, but I'm gonna need you or one of the other teachers to help me with a demonstration."

He looked behind Iruka over at the other two teachers and asked, "Do any of you know any raiton jutsu?"

Mizuki shook his head, curious of what the boy could be planning, but his colleague nodded and handed him his clipboard. As he stepped forward, Naruto instructed him to stand in place as he ran to other side of the training field.

"Alright sensei! Fire it at me with all you got!"

Iruka was instantly worried. "Naruto, are you sure about this?"

Naruto flashed him a smile. "Don't you worry sensei. I got this." He turned his gaze back to the other teacher. "Ready whenever you are."

The chunin had a hard time suppressing a grin as he began forming hand signs. It wasn't every day the demon child actually asked you to attack it. He mentally smirked as he prepared his one raiton jutsu that he had copied from a cloud ninja he had fought last spring. It had definitely been worth all that practice to get to use it now. He didn't know what the demon brat had planned, but this wasn't an B-class jutsu for nothing. It wouldn't kill the brat, but it was certainly going to hurt. Excruciating even.

He formed his final tiger seal, before throwing his palms out to his side. The lightning chakra began swirling around his palms and he clapped his palms forward, while screaming, "Raiton: Thunder Stream!"

The thunderbolt raced across the training field almost too fast for Iruka to see. While his eyes could follow its path, his body was too slow to respond. He started to scream out towards the blonde, who had his confident smirk plastered on his face the entire time. As the bolt was about to reach him, Naruto whipped open his seal and the bolt slammed into the paper and ink. At first nothing happened, but then the markings on the seal glowed white as the bolt of lightning disappeared in a flash of light. After it died down, the center of the scroll now held the kanji for lightning.

Everyone in the courtyard stared at the steaming scroll and tried to comprehend what had just happened. Naruto turned the scroll around, inspected it, and smiled, as he looked it over.

"Thanks sensei! That was perfect!"

The chunin was dumbfounded. That had been the strongest jutsu he had in his arsenal, and the boy had seemingly brushed it off.

"Naruto," Iruka said is a quiet voice, "what did you just do?"

Naruto ran over and pushed the scroll into his hands. "See this," he said pointing to the kanji for lightning, "this is the jutsu that Reishi-sensei shot at me. I sealed it into this scroll."

Naruto kept talking a mile a minute as he started heading towards one of the training dummies on the other side of the field. "There are different sealing techniques that can seal elemental jutsu. You just have to be ready for which type you want to seal. I've always found it easiest to absorb raiton jutsu cause its already in a natural state of energy."

As he arrived at the wooden dummy, he began rummaging through his bag. "Since I don't know any raiton jutsu myself, I thought I'd show off with a storage seal before moving on to the main event. Which is… AHA! This!"

He pulled out a piece of paper with a triangular seal marking and slapped it onto the dummy's chest. Racing back to Iruka, he took the scroll out of the chunin's hands.

"I have always been bothered by how hard it can be to land some jutsu on faster opponents, so I made this to fix the problem."

He faced away from the training dummy and swung the seal forward as he yelled, "RELEASE!"

The blue lightning jutsu erupted from the seal, and raced across the courtyard away from him. Just as quickly as it left the seal, it arced upward over Naruto's head and raced back toward the dummy. It slammed into the wooden caricature, which erupted in an explosion of splinter leaving a smoking crater in its place.

Turning away from his stunned classmates, he puffed out his chest and stared at Iruka. "I present to you, the Lighting Rod Seal. Designed to attract any and all raition jutsu directly to its location. Place it on a enemy shinobi, and any projectile style raiton jutsu you use is sure to land."

Iruka's face lit up in a big smile and he ruffled the boy's hair.

"Very good Naruto. I'm very impressed. You did stupendously."

The boy let put a nervous laugh as he scratched the back of his head. He turned and bowed to Reishi-sensei, thanking him for his help. As he headed back to his classmates, Iruka made eye contact with Reishi and shot him a fierce glare. That had been a high-class jutsu. If it had hit Naruto dead on, he would have likely been sent to the ICU for third degree burns. He shuddered to think what would have happened if his seal hadn't work as planned.

His look sent his message loud and clear. The Hokage would absolutely be hearing on this. The man scowled before heading back to Mizuku to retrieve his clipboard. Iruka wasn't the only person upset about Naruto's performance. Mizuku internally frowned as he reflected Naruto's performance in his tests.

He had actually passed his written exam with decent scores, and had even scored highly on his taijutsu and accuracy tests. Even if he failed one of the academy three, which he likely would in the bunshin section, his bonus points from this event would surely propel him just enough to pass.

Mizuki had plans for the boy. Plans that had assumed that the boy would be desperate enough to use his close connection to the Hokage to swipe the forbidden scroll. He would have to take measures into his own hands and ensure that the blonde failed. It would be a shame if the boy's written exam was somehow misplaced in the grading process. Who would believe that the dead last had received a 84% on his written exam anyways?

* * *

Naruto sat dejected on the lone swing of the academy's courtyard as he watched the newly minted genin chatting amongst themselves, ecstatic with their results. It took everything he had to keep in the tears that threatened to fall from his face.

Hinata watched on heartbroken, as the hitai-ate around her neck felt as if weighed a ton. She felt cemented in place as the sinking weight of her headband and the package in her bag reminded her of her crush's failure. She had been in this situation before. Yearning to comfort the blonde as he dejectedly watched the other children laughing amongst themselves.

She resolved herself and pushed her shaking leg forward. This was her last chance to help her crush in the time that he needed a friend most. Before she could go anywhere the blond took off. The student's parents had started to arrive and he couldn't stand to see their smiling faces and looks of pride. It was just an all to painful reminder of what he didn't have.

Hinata prepared to jump after him, but her personal guide Ko caught her shoulder. "You did well Hinata-sama. I'm sure Hiashi-sama will be most pleased with your results. You should be proud of yourself."

As she watched the retreating form of the orange-clad blonde, she felt anything but proud of herself. She had been too afraid and failed again. Possibly for the last time. She hung her head as she followed Ko back towards the Hyuuga compound.

On top of the walls of the academy, Mizuki smiled as he watched the retreating form of the blonde boy. It was going to be too easy.

* * *

( _Several hours later_ )

Night had settled over Konoha, but the town was anything but sleepy. In the woods outside of the village, a boy clad in orange raced away as fast as he could while carrying a rather large scroll on his back.

His cheek stung from the cut of a blade that had been way too close for comfort. His mind was still upset, when he remembered how he had acquired it.

* * *

( _Flashback_ )

Sneaking into the Hokage's office had been easy. Getting into jij's secret room had been slightly more difficult as he struggled to remember the codes from when jiji would open the safe in front of him. He had almost been home free until he opened the door coming face-to-face with the surprised Hokage flanked by his right hand man.

"Naruto? What are-?"

He was cut off as a cloud of smoke erupted revealing a scantily clad girl wiggling her hips seductively. The old man stared for a moment, before blood spurted from his nose rocketing him into the ground. His bodyguard had barely glanced at the naked figure before drawing his tanto and slashing at the figure's head. His henge quickly disappeared as he used every ounce of his speed to evade the cut, and even so, he was still grazed along his cheek. He had quickly slapped a piece of paper onto the ANBU's outstretched arm before disappearing in a flash of yellow light.

The ANBU cursed as his arm dragged him to the ground, causing cracks to appear on the floor. 'Gravity seal,' he cursed as he tried to peel the paper from his arm to no avail. His left hand went through one-handed seals before erupting in bright, white fire. He clasped his hand on the paper and began painfully peeling it from his skin. Ripping up flesh as he went, he cursed at Naruto's stupidity. He didn't know what the blonde was up to or what he was involved with, but he was in for a world of trouble after he found him.

Finally removing the seal from his body, he cauterized his wound before turning towards the passed out Hokage. It would reflect poorly on the esteemed leader if others were to find him in his current state, let alone what caused it. Kitsune sighed as he ran through hand seals to wake the Professor up. His eyes darted to the window as he spied a dark form hurrying across rooftops on the other side of the village. His eyes promised a world of pain for whoever was responsible for this mess.

* * *

( _End flashback)_

Naruto wiped his mouth and ignored the feeling of a hole in his stomach as he raced along the treetops. After finding a spot that was a relatively safe distance away from the village, he finally took a moment to catch his breath. He had never moved that fast in his life, and he had never expected Kitsune to actually take a swing at him. The older boy had barely given his Orioke jutsu a second glance. Seriously, Kitsune was all work and no play.

Not one to waste time, Naruto set the scroll down and began pouring over its contents. His eyes flashed over advanced katon jutsus capable of leveling entire armies and suiton jutsu cabale of making blood boil, but he ignored those looking for something that was a least a little manageable for him. Not that he wouldn't love to learn such awesome jutsu like that, but he was on a limited time table and he didn't want to waste a second on something he couldn't learn immediately. As he scrolled over the contents, his eyes fell across the kage bunshin no jutsu. Perfect.

He was about to begin work on it, but his eyes continued wandering the page until it stopped on the next entry. It was a seal that practically screamed at him. It looked so familiar that Naruto felt his face pale when he finally recognized what it was.

While the shape of the formula and key parts were different, it was the jutsu formula for the project he had been working on in private for three years. He bit his lip as he looked between the two goldmines that he had discovered. Here was a treasure trove of information that could potentially finally help him master his secret technique without all of the negative side affects, but Naruto wasn't stupid. It had taken him three years to get where he was with the technique, and Mizuki-sensei said he had to master one by the end of the night.

Making up his mind; he pulled out a scroll and ink as he began making a copy seal to record all of the information regarding his project. As he was about to place it on top of the scroll, he faltered. He quickly unfurled the entire scroll and skimmed his eyes across the bottom of the page and a wave of relief swam over him as he did.

Always check for an anti-theft seal. If he had placed the copy seal, all of the contents of the forbidden scroll would have been wiped clean, and he knew jiji would have been furious if that happened.

Slightly altering the contents of his copy seal, he held it over the section regarding the teleportation technique and poured chakra into his scroll. With a flash of light, a copy image was now safely within his own scroll. 'Photo seal complete.'

Ensuring that it was safely secure in his bag, he returned his attention back to the kage bunshin and got to work.

* * *

"I want every available off-duty jounin out there searching for Naruto. We cannot allow that scroll to be lost or stolen. Am I understood?"

"YES SIR!" an echoed cry responded to the Hokage.

The old man was deeply concerned as he could only wait for one of his subordinates to return with some news. As soon as the kage had regained consciousness, Kitsune had sped off in pursuit of the orange-clad boy. His aura promised a world of pain.

Of course, Hiruzen was worried about the boy's well being, but the leader side of him was more concerned about the contents of the scroll. It would be a disaster if a scroll listing many of the Nidaime's forbidden jutsu were to fall into enemy hands. Especially when the scroll contained two jutsu that the professor considered as the most deadly in all of Konoha's records. The Hiraishin and Edo Tensei were two of the deadliest jutsu ever created, and the details of how to perform them now were in the hands of an impulsive young boy being led into some kind of trap.

* * *

( _Hours later_ )

It had taken him some time, but he had finally caught onto the boys scent. About five minutes ago, he had been following a barely noticeable track, until the boy's chakra signature lit up like a flare in the sky.

When he finally arrived in the clearing, he came across the young boy in the deep embrace of Iruka Umino sobbing with happiness into his flack jacket. He noted the lack of a hitai-ate on the older boy's forehead and put two-and-two together. He glanced over at the twitching form of the other academy instructor Mizuki. The man was beaten to a pulp and required medical attention, but he would certainly live. Kitsune sniffed at the air. It was heavy with the distinctive smell that a kage bunshin's cloud created. Piecing the picture together, Kitsune dropped to the floor and hung the forbidden scroll across his back. After the target was secure, he began making his way towards the duo.

Naruto smiled and ran up to him, only to be met with a forceful open palm to the throat. Ignoring the boy's sputtering and spasms of pain, he knelt before the chunin still leaning against the tree.

"You are injured Iruka-san. Do you require immediate medical attention?"

The man shook his head as he leaned forward showing his injury. "Windmill shuriken to my back, but it managed to miss my spine. The flack jacket absorbed most of the damage."

Kitsune nodded and began helping the man to his feet. He then turned his attention back to the boy who had finally regained his ability to speak. The blonde boy was about to speak up, when he was met with an icy glare and a more than uncomfortable amount of killing intent.

"And just what did you think you were doing?"

"But Mizuki-teme said-"

"I realize what happened. I can piece the picture together. What I can't understand is how you could be so stupid as to not realize that something was wrong. Did you not think that it was somewhat suspicious to steal one of the most heavily guarded scrolls in all of Konoha? Or did you not think something was wrong when I decided to attack you?"

The blonde boy took a step back under the heavy scrutiny. "I get that you're mad but-"

"I'm not mad," the older boy cut him off, "I'm disappointed."

This shut the boy up as he held his head down in shame. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Don't be sorry. Be smarter."

A few seconds went by, before the blonde felt the familiar touch of the older boy's hand on his head. He looked up and met the older boy's eyes. He noticed that their coldness had faded away.

"I expect more from a fellow shinobi of the leaf," he said as he tapped the forehead protector on top of Naruto's head. The boy was shocked as more tears threatened to fall from his face. He held his head high and vigorously nodded.

"Good. Now that this mess is cleared up, let us return to the Hokage." He took the scroll off his back and handed it to the young boy. "Are you sure I can trust you with this?" The blonde beamed and secured the scroll to his back as the ANBU agent picked up the beaten form of Mizuki. "Then let's be on our way."

* * *

( _Days Later)_

The Sandaime sat in his office puffing away at this pipe, glad that the previous day's events had finally blown over. The suspect had been apprehended, the scroll had been returned, and the boy had even learned a highly advanced jutsu for his trouble. Of course he had received a rather scathing lecture once he had returned, but, in the end, he had let Iruka's decision stand. If it hadn't been for Mizuki's meddling, he was sure Naruto would have passed the graduation problem without a problem.

This, however, created two problems. The boy finally knew his dark secret, or one of them at least. He had been worried about the boy's reaction to hearing such world crushing news, but the boy had bounced back as determined as ever. It wasn't every day that you found out why the entire civilian population of the village decided to hate you. His reaction had been a testament of the boy's resolve and of his bond with his teacher. He made sure to remember to give Iruka a slight bump in his paycheck in the upcoming weeks.

The other issue regarded the selection of teams for the new batch of genin. With Naruto now added to the mix, he would have to rearrange the team selections. He had originally considered the possibility of throwing Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura together to form the standard dead last with rookie and kunoichi of the year combination, but eventually tossed that idea out the window.

While he was very impressed with Sakura's intelligence, he found her actual skill level lacking for one labeled as the academy's top kunoichi. After much debate, he decided to shift her over to team eight with Kurenai Yuhi. The woman would serve as a fine role model for the young girl. She would be sure to knock any whimsical ideas out of the little girl's head and mold her into a fine soldier. With Kurenai as her teacher and her impeccable chakra control, he was sure that she had the potential to turn into a truly talented genjutsu specialist.

As he looked over the new roster one last time, he could not help but smile as the latest iteration of team seven reminded him of the previous incarnation that had served under Jiraiya. Those piercing black and white eyes paired with that signature blond hair brought back both wonderful and painful memories of the trio, each of whom left a permanent mark on the history of the village. He signed off on his last decision of the night before finally deciding to head to bed. The stack of paperwork for tomorrow would surely be there when he returned.

* * *

Across the village, Naruto lay on his bed staring up at the headband in his hands. He had done it. He was finally a shinobi.

Yet he still felt like he hadn't deserved it, no matter what Iruka reassured him. He didn't care what Mizuki did. Sure he may have altered his scores, but he had still fallen for his ploy like a desperate child. Yet the Sandaime had still approved Iruka's decision and let him be a shinobi, even after falling for such an obvious and stupid trap.

He was going to make it up to the old man for all of the trouble, and not just by being the best dam shinobi he could. Maybe he could do something to lighten up his work schedule. Just another thing to add to the back burner.

Speaking of his projects, he double-checked to ensure that his security seals were in place before he ducked his head under his bed. He rummaged inside his bag and pulled out the scroll he had been careful to hide from the Hokage. Jiji already knew he could perform the other technique so he wouldn't mind if he made a copy of the other one right? Even though guilt racked through his body, Naruto opened up the scroll to the jutsu that he finally had a name to, the hiraishin no jutsu.

Whoever named the thing certainly had an air for the theatric. _Flying thunder god jutsu_ indeed.

All in all, he was extremely lucky that the jutsu did not require handsigns or else he may have never figured it out. It would have been impossible to solve problem with only half the information. The more he had looked between the seal from the scroll and the seal on the kunai the more he could tell that they had been developed by two different people. The bulk of the schematics were the same, but there were several minor improvements in the version from the kunai. Theatrical or not, whoever redesigned the seal was a genius. The overall shape of the seal had been completely overhauled and shaped to fit inside the kanji of _endurance_ , _love_ , and _sword_. Why it was designed that way, he hadn't the faintest idea, but he was ready to find out.

He was getting ready to jot down some new notes when there was a rapid knock on his door. Who could it possibly have been at this hour? It was nearly 10:30. He opened the door to find nothing but air staring back at him. He glanced up and down the street, but found no one around. Despite the apparent bareness, he could still feel a lingering gaze bearing straight at him. He looked down and was surprised to find a nicely wrapped orange box with a blue ribbon sitting on his doorstep.

He picked up the note on top and opened it. It was a nice little note written with elegant handwriting. It was short and to the point, but carried weight behind its few words.

 _Congratulations on graduating._

 _I'm so happy you were able to pass._

 _Good luck and I'm sure you are you will become a splendid shinobi._

He felt his breath hitch as he picked up the box. Over the years, he had received mysterious gifts around his birthday from some unknown person. One year he had received his beloved frog wallet, and the next he had received his beloved goggles. He had always assumed it was jiji, but the boy had spent enough time in his office to know that this wasn't his handwriting.

He gave one last look from his doorway, noticing a small shadow hiding behind a, air conditioning unit two buildings away.

"Whoever you are, thank you so much! For everything," he shouted.

He noticed the shadow fall deeper into the darkness of the roof, before a neighbor across the street opened his window and started shouting.

"Shut up you dam brat! Some of us are trying to sleep!"

The boys face crunched up in a similar frown. "Shut up Tsubiki-teme! I'll do what I want!" With that, he headed inside and slammed the door behind him. The shadow could not help but giggle by the boy's antics as it started making its way back home. In the word's of one if its classmates, it would be quite troublesome if it was discovered that they were absent this late at night.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Sorry about no chapter on Saturday (9/25). I was at a college football game all day. That plus the 10-hour cumulative trip made it difficult to get anything done. I worked on this late into the night, so I apologize if it's not exactly up to snuff with the other chapters. I'll clean it up on a later date. I just wanted to get a new chapter out over the weekend. I also updated Chapter 3 after I cleaned it up.**

 **People have been asking about what could possibly be so bad about Naruto's use of hiraishin. Sadly that doesn't get explained for quite some time, but I can tell you that it is taking a more dangerous toll than just causing some disorientation. Sadly my full explanation of how fuinjutsu works and how hiraishin is affecting Naruto won't be addressed until a certain Toad Sage makes his way to Konoha.**

 **Yes, we are finally past the academy and can head into the meat of things. Sasuke, Hinata, and Naruto can finally get thrown together and the story can really start to gain some traction. Get ready for the new team 7.**


	7. Chapter 7 - The Test (Part 1)

**Chapter 7 – The Test (Part 1)**

Naruto woke up as a nasty jolt of chakra burst through his system. He groaned and wanted to return to the sweet embrace of sleep, but he knew that he'd just receive a nastier jolt in another five minutes. Deciding it was time to get up, he lifted up his shirt and pealed the seal off of his chest. Another useful trick he had learned from his books. Shinobi had long ago realized it was much more cost effective to design a new seal than keep wasting money on alarm clocks. Their instincts were so jumpy that they kept driving kunai into their alarm clocks as they went off.

He pulled himself out of bed and groggily meandered over to kitchen. He reached into his cabinet and started heating up a pot of water, before heading off towards the bathroom.

As he let the shower warm up, he stared at his shirtless form in the mirror. After a minute of silence, he began focusing chakra and stared at the dark insignia that appeared over his stomach.

So this was it. This was the source of every bad thing that had ever happened in his life. The source of all his pain, all his anguish, all his loneliness. Even as these bitter thoughts raced through his mind, his analytical side couldn't help but be amazed by the Yondaime's work. The fourth really had been a genius. This wasn't just an efficient seal, this was art. Naruto could only recognize the double elephant seal, but he had no idea what they others meant. This was the step beyond the advanced class. A point that he only dreamed of reaching.

He had initially held some resentment for the Yondaime's actions, but he found that he couldn't stay mad at his idol. The man had to make the difficult decision and had apparently made the ultimate sacrifice in the process. If the fourth really thought he was up to the task, he was going to be sure to prove it to him. Besides, if those close to him saw him for who he truly was, what else really mattered?

Newly invigorated, he tentatively entered the hot shower as a new train of thought re-entered his mind. It had been nagging at him all night. Who could have possibly delivered that thoughtful gift?

He had already ruled out nee-chan. It wasn't her style. She preferred to be loud, upfront, and commanded your attention. Certainly wasn't Kitsune. While quiet, he would be frank and deliver anything in person, not hiding away in the dark. Besides, he had told him he would not give him another gift until he had mastered the previous gift from his last birthday.

No one else came to mind as he dried himself off and headed towards his closet. He opened it and a sea of white and orange stared back at him. He had tried to shake things up with this awesome orange jumpsuit he had found a few months ago, but Kitsune had given it one look before slicing it in half, warning him to never wear it again. So he had stuck with his orange hoodies, until today that is.

He reached into the back of the closet and pulled out the gift he had received from the previous night. As he stared at himself in the mirror, he felt something was missing. He snapped his fingers and raced over to his nightstand. He pulled his signature goggles over his neck and tightened his hitai-ite around his forehead, before returning to the mirror. 'There we go!'

He beamed as he admired his new look. Whoever had picked it out for him certainly had style. His eyes gazed over the clock and he was pleased to note he still had plenty of time. He strolled back into the kitchen, poured the hot water into his cup of ramen, and began his stroll out towards the academy.

* * *

By this time, Hinata had already woken up and was getting dressed as well. She had just finished combing her hair, and was leaving her bathroom. As she opened the door, her gaze hardened as she stared holes through the tiny scroll sitting on her desk.

The day after the incident in the library, she had woken up with the small scroll clenched firmly in her hands. She had no recollection of how she had acquired it, and when she asked her father about it, he claimed to have no knowledge of any scroll.

The first time she opened it, she had felt the same feeling that the horned figure had given off in the room. Of course, she immediately wanted to be rid of it. However, no matter how many times she tried, the thing kept coming back in perfect condition. She had originally thrown it out of her window, only to find it later that night on her desk. Not one to give up, she had buried, burned, and ripped it apart, but it always kept reappearing fully in tact later that day.

It disturbed her to no end. It was like some cursed object she couldn't rid herself of. When she tried to show her father, his eyes seemed to fog up and he would act as if he had no idea what she was talking about. It was supernatural and she did not like it.

What truly irritated her was whatever the scroll was trying to tell her, it was doing a poor job of it. No matter what she did, the scroll remained blank. She had tried to read it when she was alone, with the byakugan, and even back in that accursed room. Every time, it remained as blank as the day she opened it. She shot it one last glare before picking up her kunai pouch and left the room.

As she walked out, she bumped into the Hyuuga's clan's little ball of fire. "Good morning nee-chan!" While Hanabi was as serious as her father during spars, the moment she stepped out of the dojo, she was a bustling little firecracker of energy.

"Sooo," she drawled, leaning in towards her sister, "Did you deliver your gift last night?"

Hinata's face flushed crimson as she nervously began tapping her fingers. "I-I-I-I don't know what you're talking about."

Hanabi held her cocky smile, as she placed her hands on her hips. "You can't lie to me nee-chan. You may have told Ko you were just out training, but I saw what direction you were heading. Right towards Na-"

Hinata slapped her hand over Hanabi's mouth as her head whipped back and forth to make sure they were alone.

"Please don't talk about that here," she pleaded.

The young girl rolled her eyes. Literally _everyone_ knew about Hinata's crush. She didn't understand why the need to keep it so hush-hush. Apparently the only ones still oblivious to the fact were her father and the blonde boy in question.

"Got it nee-chan," she said after Hinata removed her hand. "Well, I just wanted to wish you good luck with your team assignments."

She held her hand to her forehead in a mocking gesture. "Who knows, maybe you will be paired off with that _dashing_ _Naruto-kun_. It will be like a dream come true."

Hinata shot her sister her patented side-eye, clearly not amused by her joke. She still gave her a short hug before she made her way out of the house. Hanabi sighed as she watched her sister go. Her handler always tried to persuade her that she was the stronger of the two sisters, but she wouldn't hear any of it. She admired her sister's fierce determination, and, no matter what father said, Hinata was a stronger kunoichi than she would ever be.

While she had been teasing, she really did hope that Hinata was placed on the same team as her crush. It would do her some good by forcing her into his presence, for everyone knew she would never make the first move herself. Shaking her head, she headed off towards the kitchen, hoping to sneak off with a cinnamon roll before she had her morning katas.

* * *

Sasuke paused as he entered the mostly empty classroom to see the blonde boy dozing off in the front row. He just didn't know when to quit. Even after failing for the third time, he still had the gall to show up at the graduation ceremony. He passed him without a word as he claimed his seat in the second row next to the window.

Over time, more and more of his classmates trickled in, each shooting the blonde the same confused look.

Finally, Shikamaru arrived and paused in front of the blonde. He tapped his knuckles on top of the boy's head waking him up. "Naruto, don't you think this is getting a little sad. This is for graduates only, not dropouts." Sure it was harsh, but it was time for the blonde to start facing reality.

The boy yawned before erupting in a smile and tapping at his own hitai-ite. "I know it's for graduates. That's why I'm here."

"Well what do you know? You actually did it." The pineapple haired boy fought a smile from forming on his face.

"You know it," the blonde beamed.

Shikamaru shook his head, noticing the blonde's new clothes, before muttering 'troublesome' and walking up the stairs to take his seat next to Chouji.

Hinata had blushed when she had seen the boy already dressed in the clothes she had left for him. She was happy to know that the blonde liked her gift. She had given him a grey long sleeve shirt and navy short sleeve hoodie along with two pairs of pants. One dark orange and one grey. She thought he looked quite handsome, and tried to stop a blush from creeping up her face.

After several minutes Iruka finally walked into the room and took his place in front of the class.

"I want you all to know just how proud I am of all of you. Your hard work has finally paid off and now you are all official shinobi of leaf. Now remember, the teams that each of you will be split up into will be like your family. More than likely, you will be working with these people for the rest of your life. However, the life of a ninja is never a certain one. Make sure to treasure every moment with your teammates, since you never know when they might be gone."

He paused, as he made sure everyone let the message sink in. "Sorry to end on that sour note you guys, but now let's move on to what you're all waiting for. Your team assignments."

Everyone sat up as Iruka began rattling off the names. An eerie quietness settled over the room, only broken by the whispers of the groups whose names had been called, that was until…

"Team Seven: Naruto Uzumaki…" Naruto lifted his head at the sound of his name. "Hinata Hyuuga…" A sharp intake of breath was heard from the back of the class. "…and Sasuke Uchiha." In a flash, all of the girls in the room let out a loud groan as none of them were placed with their precious Sasuke-kun. They all shot glares at Hinata who eeped and tried to bury herself in her jacket.

"Now Team Eight: Sakura Haruno…" She came out of her funk and paid him her direct attention. "…Kiba Inuzuka" The boy chuckled as the pink haired girl let out a sigh. "…and Shino Aburame." The said boy merely adjusted his glasses. The pink haired girl looked dejected and uncomfortable with her new teammates.

'Take that forehead girl!' Ino thought triumphantly, before a wave of realization rolled over her. 'Wait, but that means…"

Iruka cleared his throat before he continued. "Team Ten will be as follows: Ino Yamanaka, … Shikamaru Nara, … and Chouji Akimichi." It was Ino's turn to look crestfallen as Sakura shot her a triumphant look, seeming much more pleased with her own teammates.

"These are all of the team assignments. All I can offer you now is the best of luck. I'm sure you will all make me proud so good luck in your career as a shinobi.

* * *

"He's late," the blonde whined as the second hour passed by. He tapped his foot vigorously and every once in a while stuck his head out into the hallway hoping for a glimpse of their sensei. Hinata and Sasuke sat at their desks and offered their silent agreements with the boy's complaints.

At first Hinata had felt that she was on cloud nine. It had actually happened. She had another chance to make it up to him for the other day. Guilt still racked her mind, as she had once again been too scared and nervous to approach the boy in a time of need. She didn't know the full details how the blonde had finally been allowed to graduate, but she was now determined to make it up to him.

"Naruto-kun. Please be patient. I'm certain there is a reason our sensei is late," Hinata said trying to defuse the situation.

The blonde pouted and Sasuke ignored his next round of complaining. His thoughts were preoccupied by how the hell the dobe had done it. Sasuke was sure that Naruto had failed. He had seen him sitting dejectedly on the swing as he left the academy. So how he was here now, suddenly allowed to graduate. It made no sense to him. He supposed the Hokage finally needed a good sealing expert, and just let the blonde pass just to get him into the system.

He was brought out of his musing as Naruto grabbed an easer and chair. He wedged the eraser between the doorframe and the door, as he chuckled at his own ingenuity.

"Naruto-kun. What are you doing?" Hinata asked, moving from her desk for a better view.

"That's what he get's for being late," he replied triumphantly, moving the chair back to Iruka's desk.

At that moment, a certain spiky haired jounin stood outside. He eyed the piece of chalk in the doorframe and shrugged before opening the door. Let them have some fun before he crushed their dreams.

* * *

So the four of them found themselves sitting on the roof staring with anticipation at the silver haired jounin who stared right back. He had asked them to name off their likes, disliked, and dreams for the future, while avoiding answering the same questions. He motioned Naruto to go first.

He puffed out his chest before declaring, "My name is Naruto Uzumaki. My likes are ramen, reading, creating new seals, my jiji, nee-chan, and Kitsune-baka too I guess. My dislikes are people who put down others and tardy teachers," eying Kakashi who simply shot him one of his eye smiles. "My dreams are to one day become Konoha's next seal master and the greatest Hokage of all time. Dattebayo!"

Kakashi only nodded as he turned his attention to the Hyuuga heiress. "Gomen. My name is Hinata Hyuuga. My likes also include reading, as well as flower pressing, and my family. My dislikes…" Her thoughts trailed off as she thought about the divide in amongst the Hyuuga. "…are rather personal to my clan. And my dreams are…" She blushes as she shoots Naruto a quick glance, before holding her head high, "To unify my clan and become the next clan leader."

Kakashi gave her a nod, before turning to the last member of the team. Sasuke curtly replied, "I don't really have a lot of things I like, but plenty of things I dislike. I don't really have a dream, but rather a goal. I am going to restore my clan, and kill a certain man."

Naruto and Hinata felt uncomfortable as the atmospher had taken a much more somber tone. Kakashi seized the opportunity to explain to them the "survival exercise" they'd be having. No matter how many genin teams he had failed over the years, he never got over the hilarity of their shocked expressions.

* * *

( _The Next Day)_

Kakashi felt as if he was looking into a mirror of the past as he watched his latest team interact. Like he himself had done, Sasuke was leaning against the bridge ignoring all attempts at communication from the other two. Hinata was quiet and calm, just as Rin had been, and acted as the mediator between the two boys, although it was painfully obvious that she favored the blonde. Naruto was talking a mile-a-minute, while Hinata tried her best not to faint from the boy's close proximity. It was like seeing two people in one as Naruto painfully reminded him of both his late sensei and Uchiha teammate. He even had goggles just as Obito had.

Kakashi sighed. He'd probably have to pass this team too. The backlash from the civilian council and Hyuuga clan would be a pain in the ass if he were to fail the Uchiha and Hyuuga heirs. He also felt that he had an obligation to his sensei to ensure that his son received proper training.

However, he had his own code, and he was going to stick to it. If these students weren't able to determine the true meaning of the test, he would fail all of them. Perhaps he would take Naruto under his wing, but he would probably have to fight Kitsune over him.

But he was getting ahead of himself. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his trademark orange book and leaned back against the tree he was hiding in. Wouldn't want to make them think that he could actually arrive on time.

The breeze whipped through the training grounds causing Naruto to stop and sniff at the air. He scowled as he started scanning the tree line.

Hinata noticed this and asked, "What is it Naruto-kun?"

He shook his head as he said, "I could have sworn I just smelled Kakashi-sensei, but I don't see him anywhere."

He was surprised when he saw veins starting to bulge around Hinata's eyes as she scanned around the field. She stopped and turned toward the direction Naruto had previously pointed to. "He's over there sitting in that tree."

"What is he doing?" Sasuke piped in, curious what could possibly holding up their sensei.

"He seems to just be sitting and reading," she replied.

A tick mark formed on Naruto's head as he screamed, "HEY YOU BAKA-SENSEI! STOP WASTING OUR TIME READING YOUR STUPID BOOKS!"

A second late the spiky-haired appeared in a swirl of leaves saying, "Yo."

"YOU'RE LATE!" Naruto's scream echoed across the training ground.

"Nope. I've been here the whole time waiting for you to find me, and I got to say I'm a little disappointed." Even Sasuke sat up at this comment.

"You never said anything about finding you," Naruto balked.

"True, but you all haven't utilized any of this free time to do anything productive. All this time and you guys have just wasted it waiting around. Did it not occur to you to stretch or warm up before I got here? Maybe make some plans for the test?"

Even Sasuke looked away as the thought had not occurred to any of them. Kakashi sighed as he motioned for them to follow. As he reached a set of training posts, he reached into his bag and pulled out an alarm clock. It was time for the bell test to commence.

* * *

 _A shinobi must be able to conceal their movements and hide efficiently._ This lesson was engraved into every student in the academy. That class was covered more thoroughly than any of the other practical classes, such as throwing kunai and shuriken. The class had a midterm assignment of sneaking from one side of Konoha to the other without being spotted by the planted shinobi hiding among the civilians. Many students were eventually caught due to being careless or reckless.

But not Sasuke and Hinata. Kakashi could still sense their chakra, but he couldn't see them at all. The fruits of their efforts were evident.

Naruto, however, had decided to ignore that class apparently. The blond boy appeared in a blur in front of Kakashi. The boy reminded him so much of his sensei, especially in that outfit.

"You know, compared to the others, you're not very bright."

"Why bother hiding? You're a jounin. No matter how well we conceal ourselves, you'd be able to find us no sweat."

"Now, now. You might be overestimating my capabilities a little much don't you think?"

The blonde vigorously shook his head. "Nope, Kitsune-san can find me anywhere, even when he's not trying. Even if you say you're a jounin, I'm certain your tracking skills up to par with him. Inu," the blonde finished with a mischievous grin.

If Kakashi was surprised, he didn't show it. The blond continued, "By the way, I wanted to thank you for stopping those villagers six years ago. It meant a lot to me."

Kakashi waved him off. "Think nothing of it. It was the least I could do. Now, if you are finished moping about in the past…" He began reaching into his pouch putting Naruto immediately at alert.

"Shinobi Battle Tactics: Part One," Kakashi said, sounding like a textbook. "Taijutsu, the physical part."

 _'_ _Taijutsu…? Then why is he reaching for his pouch?'_ Naruto wondered as he prepared to snatch a kunai to defend himself. He was caught off foot as his sensei pulled out a familiar orange book.

"What are you…" Naruto asked confused.

"You can start whenever you feel like it," the jounin said as he flipped a page.

"Why… why are you reading that perveted book?"

"Why?" the silver haired man asked. "To find out what happens in the story obviously. Don't worry, I'm sure your weak attacks won't be enough to actually harm me."

Steam blowing out of his ears, the blonde rushed at the older man throwing out a punch with as much strength as he could muster. He was bothered when the man caught it without even looking.

The boy landed and threw a quick kick, which was just as easily blocked. The boy began a flurry of kicks and punches all of which were effortlessly stopped by the older man.

' _He's fast,'_ Kakashi noted to himself, ' _but extremely sloppy.'_ He had heard negative things from the academy, but this was ridiculous. It was like the boy was incorporating different moves from a multitude of styles that meshed together in an unholy mess.

He delivered a powerful kick to the blonde boy's gut, which sent him skidding back several feet. The boy rose to his feet and angrily formed his hands together in the tiger seal and ten shadow clones puffed into existence beside him. Many dipped into their pouches drawing kunai and charged as one.

Kakashi barely moved an inch as he dismantled every clone that attempted to get near him. As he blocked one kick, he noted the original standing in the back watching the events unfold. So the loud brat actually knew how to use his head. He brought his thoughts to a close as he dismembered the last of the clones.

He closed his book and the two seemed to just stare at each other. After a minute, the blonde brought his hands in another seal, summoning more clones.

Kakashi was a little disappointed. He had been told that the blonde was quite imaginative. "You can't just beat me with clones. At this rate, you'll never get a bell."

The blonde chose to ignore the man's taunt and reached into his bag. Quickly, he threw down a smoke grenade, engulfing the area in purple smoke. Kakashi stayed put as he heard the clones beginning to surround him. He was about to reach for some shuriken to dispel them, when a pair of hands shot out of the ground and clasped onto his feet.

Immediately, the clones charged as one. Using his superior strength, Kakashi wrenched himself free of the hand underground and jumped into the air, hearing the satisfying pops of the clones after he let loose his barrage of shuriken.

As he soared out of the cloud of gas, he saw the origninal Naruto going through several handseals. Even without his sharingan, he recognized that jutsu and actually began to worry. What was Kitsune doing teaching that jutsu to an academy student?

Naruto brought a hand to his lips as he exclaimed, "Katon: Fox Hellfire!" A stream of spiking, yellow fire streaked from mouth. It surged forward and engulfed Kakashi's body, setting him ablaze instantly. Cutting off the jutsu, Naruto found a burning log in the place of his sensei.

"Kuso!"

Kakashi watched the boy from the treeline as he desperately tried to find his teacher. At least Kitsune had been smart enough to make sure the blonde mastered the jutsu in parts. It may function as a simple katon jutsu in its base form, but its second or third level were no laughing matter.

As the boy let out another curse, Kakashi smiled under his mask. _'So the prankster has a temper problem?'_ This thought brought a smirk to his face as an idea popped into his head. He quickly set up a double-layered snare trap using a bell as the bait.

The sunlight reflected off the bell caused the boy to stop. He immediately lit up and ran towards the bell only to stop a foot away. Kakashi frowned as the boy hesitated. Then he placed his foot a few inches away from its previous path and scooped up the bell.

"Nice try sensei, but you have to wake up real early to trick the number one prankster in Konoha!"

Kakashi dropped from the tree and studied the blonde. Once again, the boy was proving that as brash as he usually was, he could think outside the box and think clearly when he needed to. But he couldn't just let the blonde pass due to his own error.

"Very good Naruto, I'll certainly remember that next time."

"Alright, well I just keep this then." The blonde closed his eyes as he smiled. This instant was all the jounin needed.

"Keep what?" Kakashi asked curiously.

"The bell of cour-" the blonde was shocked to find nothing in his hand. He began frantically checking the ground.

"Oh, do you mean this bell," Kakashi asked as he held up the lost item.

"What…How… When did you…GIVE THAT BACK!"

"I think I'll pass. You have to take the bell from me, not pick it up off the ground."

Anger etched itself across his face, as he yelled, "Fine then!" Time to pull out all the stops.

He clasped his hands together and more clones burst into existence. Kakashi sighed, but the boy formed another hand sign and something was immediately wrong. The ground beneath his feet collapsed into a crater and he was finding it incredibly difficult to move his body.

' _A gravity seal! When did he… Of course, when the clone burst out of ground to hold me in place. He already had a plan ready in case that one failed.'_

The group of blonds jumped on top of him and pinned him down as the original whipped out a handful of kunai and flung them at the heap of bodies. Kakashi wasn't a jounin for nothing. Even under the influence of the gravity seal, he was still able to use his incredible strength to wrench one of the blondes off him and fling him into the path of most of the kunai coming towards him. He twisted his way out of the paths of the remaining kunai, ensuring that the clones attached to him would fall in their line of fire.

Something vaguely familiar passed by his head, as he turns his attention to the original and everything seemed to stop. He watched awestruck as the blonde disappeared in a flash of yellow light that he had seen a hundred times. He felt the presence behind and turned to meet a painful punch to his jaw.

The blonde reared back for another blow, but bent over clutching his stomach. If he had eaten earlier, any and all contents of his stomach would have been vacated. Instead, he proceeded throw up an unhealthy amount of blood.

Still awestruck, Kakashi ripped off the seal with a mild katon pilot jutsu as he rubbed his jaw. That had actually hurt.

More importantly, the blonde was more and more reminding him of the ghost of his past. That had been the Hiraishin no jutsu, no doubt about it. He really was the budding fuinjutsu prodigy the Hokage had boasted him to be.

Naruto squatted hugging his stomach as he tried to orient himself.

"I feel awful."

"You're about to feel a lot worse," a chilling voice said behind him.

Naruto could barely register the words before a blinding pain erupted from his ass as Kakashi shouted, "Konoha Secret Finger Jutsu: One Thousand Years of Death!"

The boy was sent skyrocketing into the air heading deep into the woods before a satisfying thud was heard from the clearing.

Kakashi barely had time to think as a shuriken whipped past his face. This team was just full of surprises. It was time to see if Sasuke's performance could live up to Naruto's stellar showing.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 ******IMPORTANT******

 **Need to clarify something. This and chapter 8 were intended to be one long chapter. When I tried to submit it on the site, it just kept crashing. So I made the decision to cut it relatively in half and post them separately.**

 **Any Author's Notes in chapter 8 also regard to this chapter.**

 **Sorry for the inconvenience.**


	8. Chapter 8 - The Test (Part 2)

**Chapter 8 - The Test (Part 2)**

Hinata raced through the woods heading towards where Naruto had impacted. She had found him easily enough with her byakugan, but Kakashi-sensei had really sent him flying. It took her at least seven minutes to reach Naruto's location, and she didn't like what she saw when she arrived.

Naruto had apparently crashed head first through a thick branch and was now passed out on the forest floor. On his way down, the branches had torn up his face and now it was covered in some nasty scratches.

She turned him over and carefully dragged him so that he was leaning against a tree. She didn't know what caused him to vomit so intensively after that technique, but she didn't wanting him choking if he had a repeat episode. She reached into her pouch and took out her special ointment that she had made herself and started working on fixing his cuts.

As she worked on the blonde, dabbing the cream on his scratches, Kakashi could not help but be impressed. He watched from the treetops as a clone finished up with Sasuke and he was impressed by her medical knowledge. He noted that all traces of her shyness were gone as she worked like a doctor in the operating room. No space for emotions and focus on the objective.

Time to see if those Hyuuga eyes were as good at detecting genjutsu as they claimed. He started casting a light genjutsu that would make it seem like Naruto's state was detiorating, but she had whipped around and noticed him immediately. Even without the byakugan active, she still saw right through his genjutsu. Now that took some serious chakra control and mental discipline. He was actually starting to like this girl.

He dropped to the ground in front of them as Hinata took up a defensive stance over Naruto.

"That's some very efficient cream. Those scratches already look like they're healing. Any chance you're willing to tell me where you got it?"

"I made it myself from herbs found within the Hyuuga estate," while she answered cordially, her stance did not waver.

"Very impressive. Now then, what are you going to do? There isn't much time left, and you're the only one who hasn't attempted to obtain the bells."

She bit her lip as she glanced between the jounin and the boy behind her. There was no way she was going to be able to protect him as well as trying to get the bells. She was no fool. She knew she had no chance by herself. She needed help.

She quickly flung a kunai at Kakashi before slamming a smoke grenade into the ground. After the clouds settled, Hinata and Naruto were gone. ' _At least she understood the point of the exercise,'_ Kakashi thought to himself, ' _but that isn't enough. All three of them have to work together if they want to succeed.'_

* * *

Hinata raced towards Sasuke's chakra with Naruto's limp form on her back. With Naruto out cold she was going to need the Uchiha's help if any of them were going to pass. As she entered the clearing, she was startled to find Sasuke's heaad sticking out of the ground.

He shot her a glare and uttered, "Not a word."

She gave him a nod, and carefully set Naruto, before helping him dig himself out. Around this time, Naruto was finally beginning to stir, and when he did, he was met with a massive headache.

"Ugh, what hit me?" he said as he tried to regain his bearings. His eyes were blurry and he blinked a few times before his vision finally came back into focus on the sight of Sasuke's head. He took one look, before bursting out laughing and falling on his back.

Sasuke's face lit up red in anger and embarrassment. "Shut up you dobe!"

"Oh my lord. This is priceless!" The blonde rolled on the ground, as Sasuke, finally free from his trap, began brushing off his clothes.

"Umm, excuse me you two…" Hinata interjected. She felt her face heating up as both boys turned their attention on to her. Why had this been so much easier a minute ago?

"I don't think any of us are going to be able to get a bell from Kakashi-sensei on our own."

"Speak for yourself," the Uchiha cut in, "I'm going off to find that man and take that bell."

"Hey," Naruto yelled grabbing the retreating boy's shoulder forcing him to face him. "That was rude. Apologize to Hinata-chan!"

"Let go of me you dobe. I don't want either of your help, nor do I need it."

"You can't do everything yourself you jackass. Stop being so stubborn and just hear her out."

"And I just said I don't want your help!"

"Why you little-"

There argument was broken off as the sound of the alarm clock pierced across the training grounds.

Time was up.

"Oh, Hinata?" a familiar voice called sweetly from a tree near the training posts. Looking up, the genin saw their sensei lazily leaning against the tree trunk.

"Yes sensei," she muttered nervously. She did not like where this was going.

"Did you try to get a bell?" he asked for too casually.

Hinata took a step back. "N-no sensei."

"Well, you know what that means right?"

Hinata could only hang her head in shame as she accepted her fate.

* * *

Kakashi had been more than a little disappointed by the results. There was no denying that these kids were talented. Skill wise they earned their genin ranking with flying colors, and maybe could even put a few chunin to shame. As he went over the concept of the "survival exercise," he could not help but notice the feelings of guilt that spread across the boys' faces. If they had tried together to get the bells, he was certain that they at least be able to get one of them.

"Alright, I'm going to give you guys one last chance." He left clear instructions to not feed Hinata for her failure to even attempt to obtain a bell, before disappearing with a shunshin.

He now watched the pair eating quietly as the young girl's stomach growled, causing her to turn red in embarrassment. As if planned together, both boys offered their lunches at once. The three genin stared at each other in shock before Hinata shook her head.

"Please do not waste your opportunity on me."

"Too bad Hinata-chan. I have to make it up to you for patching me up after I landed on my head."

"I also owe you an apology," Sasuke said as he offered her his food, "You were the only one who saw the true meaning of this test. With all of us at our full strength, I'm confident we can get the bells from Kakashi." The blonde vigorously nodded his head in agreement, as tears threatened to fall down the young girl's face.

Kakashi smiled behind his mask. They finally got it.

* * *

"Come on sensei! Let us go!" Naruto yelled as he struggled against the rope.

"Sorry. You and Sasuke admitted yourselves that Hinata was the only one who saw through the true meaning of the test. Meaning that you two are the ones who failed. If you want to get free, do it yourself."

The blonde and black haired boys were now tied up against the training posts as Hinata and Kakashi stood over them.

"Alright then, we'll meet back here tomorrow for our first real day of training." As he turned to leave, he gave one last look to Hinata. "I know I just gave that whole speech about abandoning comrades, but try to overlook that right now. Don't help them get free. They'll never learn if you keep picking up the slack."

She blushed at the compliment, as the jounin disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Hinata turned and bowed to the two boys, with a light smile on her face. "Gomen, Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun. But it appears I am less than trash." With that she turned and left, barely controlling her giggling.

"Hinata-chan! Please! Don't leave us!"

* * *

15 minutes Sasuke finally freed himself from his bindings.

"Great job, Sasuke-teme. Now let me out!" the blonde pleaded.

Sasuke smirked and dropped his kunai just out of reach of Naruto's feet. "A good shinobi should be able to escape from this himself." He strolled away as the blonde yelled at him with a plethora of curses.

After a painstaking hour, Naruto was finally able to wriggle a kunai out of his pouch and cut himself free.

"YATTA!" he shouted to the air.

He was about to head home, when he remembered he was forgetting something. He started frantically searching the field wondering were he could have dropped it, when a cool voice behind him asked, "Looking for this?"

He turned to find Kakashi with his finger through the loop of his special kunai.

Naruto let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you Kakashi-sensei. I don't know what I would have done if I lost that." He reached out for it, and was surprised when Kakashi pulled away.

"I'm happy to return this back to you, but I have a couple of questions I'd like answered first," Kakashi said in a serious tone. After he was sure the blonde understood, he continued, "First off, let's start with the easier question. I assume Kitsune was the one who taught you that katon jutsu?"

The boy was quiet as he nodded vigorously, anxious to get his kunai back.

"I want to make sure that he fully explained how dangerous that jutsu can be." As Naruto tilted his head to the side, it was evident the blonde didn't know what he was talking about.

"I'm sure Kitsune has told you there are multiple steps to that jutsu, correct?" Another nod. "Good, I'm sure that he was going to fully explain it to you, but you are now my soldier, and I want to make sure you know how dangerous that jutsu can be."

He brought up his other hand and raised one finger. "That technique is Kitsune's signature jutsu, as well as one of his most deadly. The jutsu has three stages, each more dangerous than the last. The first is the one you have down, which acts almost like a simple flamethrower katon jutsu. It supplies a steady stream of fire, which takes on yellow hue. What makes this jutsu special is that the flames linger as long as the caster is conscious. Only he can dispel the flames."

He raised his second finger as he continued, "The next stage is about increasing the heat and intensity of the jutsu. The jutsu changes from crimson to a pure white as the heat in increased dramatically. At this stage, the flames would be hot enough to melt steel. What makes it special is like the previous stage, they keep their intense heat even after the technique is ended. The flames only disappear when the caster wants them to."

The boy seemed excited as he lifted his third finger. "Finally, the third stage, which is the most deadly of them all. This stage is why I am making sure you understand how dangerous that jutsu can be. The heat is turned up even more at this stage, turning the flames solid blue. What is incredibly deadly is what happens when the flames come in contact with something. While the first stage is about forming the shape and the second is about increasing the intensity, the third step is about changing the composition of the jutsu. I don't know the full details, but I do know that anything the flame touches practically liquifies on contact."

The boy's eyes were wide in excitement at this. "This can go for anything. Steel walls, enemies,…" He shot him a glare with his visible eye, as he said, "…comrades."

The boy gulped as the realization hit him. He had used a jutsu that could do that on Kakashi-sensei.

"Thankfully, I am a jounin and that was only the first level of the technique, but imagine if you had tried to use that on someone who wasn't able to evade in time. Even if you were using the lower level of the jutsu, imagine hitting one of your teammates. You'd be panicking, making it harder for you correctly form your chakra to dispel the jutsu." He didn't have to say it, but he could tell the boy got the message: be careful and don't use it in a spar against his teammates.

"Now, moving on. The more prevalent question on my mind is this." Once again he held up the kunai. "Where did you find this?"

Naruto gulped as he answered, "I found it out in the woods a couple years ago. I saw the seal formula and I just couldn't help myself. I've been working on it ever since."

Kakashi's visible eye widened. "Are you saying that you learned the Hiraishin all by yourself?"

The boy puffed out his chest. "You bet I did!" ' _Although_ ,' the boy thought in his head, ' _there are still those drawbacks.'_

Kakashi was silent for a moment. "Well, I'll be."

He tossed the boy the kunai, who was happy finally having his prized possession back where it belonged. He was surprised as Kakashi reached into his own pouch and pulled out another identical kunai to the one in his hands.

The blonde looked back and forth between the two, eyes wide.

"Where… where did you get that?" His eyes widened as large as saucers as he looked at his sensei in a new light. "Were you the one to develop the jutsu?"

Kakashi laughed as he shook his head. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but no. My own sensei was actually the one who developed the jutsu. He gave me this kunai as a gift the day I became jounin. I've always kept it with me as a reminder of him."

Rubbing the handle one last time, he offered it to the blonde boy. Naruto was shaking as he slowly took it from the older man's hand.

"Are…are you sure sensei?" his voice cracking.

Kakashi shrugged. "It seems to me that you'll get more out of it than I ever have."

Naruto was awestruck and lunged at the jounin, embracing him around his stomach. Kakashi chuckled as he patted the blonde's head.

"Now, while I'm certainly impressed with how far you've gotten by yourself. I know from experience that those side-affects aren't normal."

The blonde removed himself and wiped his nose before answering. "I'm trying to figure that out. The problem is that the effects vary in intensity each time I do it. I tested to see if distance or chakra usage made the reaction worse, but it has never been constant."

Kakashi nodded as he began to turn back towards the village. He had a meeting after all.

"Wait Kakashi-sensei!" the boy pleaded. "I have to know. Who was your sensei? Is he someone I'd know?"

Kakashi chuckled as he turned his head over his shoulder. "You might have heard of him. After all, he was the one that placed that seal on your stomach."

Kakashi stayed long enough to enjoy the look of wide-eyed realization flash across the boy's face, before he shunshined away towards the Hokage's office.

* * *

( _2 Hours Later)_

"This is just getting silly. I don't understand why you allow him to get away with this Hokage-sama," and irate Kurenai said as she and Asuma stood before the Sandaime.

"Let's just say he's paying his respects to someone in his own special way," the Hokage replied coyly.

"What do you-" Kurenai was cut off as a knock at the door signaled that he had finally arrived.

"Well, look who it is," Asuma said, "couldn't you have hurried up to tell us that you failed them? You know we can't leave until everyone's reports are in."

Kakashi barely paid him any mind as he stood before the Professor. "I'm happy to report that Team 7 passed with flying colors."

The silence ensued and, Kakashi was sure they would have been able to hear a pin drop. Asuma's cigarette was hanging out of his mouth and Kutenai's mouth hung open.

"Did they now?" the Hokage asked with a knowing smile.

"What can I say? The kids have incredible talent," he said with a shrug, before turning his full attention to the Hokage.

"I need to speak to you alone. Now."

The others in the room looked shocked as he continued, "Without ANBU."

Now this was worrying. After a nod from the Hokage, the two jounin and the four shadows hidden in the corners of the room headed out the door without a word.

After a moment of silence, he said, "Kitsune too."

The boy appeared behind the old man's shoulder, his body tense and protective. A simple wave from the Hokage made him stand down, and he begrudgingly left the room.

The silence was deafening. "So," Kakashi began, "when were you going to tell me we had another Yellow Flash on our hands?"

The old man chuckled. "I thought it would be entertaining to see your honest reaction from seeing it in person."

He paused and took a drag of his pipe before continuing. "I'm honestly surprised he got a punch in."

Kakashi eyed the glass ball behind the old man's desk as he rubbed his jaw.

"I was surprised myself. Though he only landed it because of the shock value and the gravity seal. So, he really did discover it himself?"

The old man nodded. "I was just as surprised as you. It was about 2 years ago. I had known for a while he had been meddling with some secret project for some time, but when he came forward and showed me it first hand, I was left speechless. It was like watching Minato attempt the technique all over again." He smiled before his expression took a more serious look, "However, I am concerned about the toll the jutsu is taking on his body."

Kakashi nodded as he waited for him to continue, "Minato had experienced some disorientation the first 20 or so times he practiced the technique, but afterwards his body adjusted to the feeling. The only time he experienced effects anything similar to Naruto's was the first time he ever attempted it. That was before he adjusted the Nidaime's seal. If Tsunade hadn't been present…"

"What do you think the issue could be?" Kakashi asked.

"Who knows? We are talking about a situation where a child, a talented child granted, but nevertheless a child, is attempting to recreate an extremely difficult technique that has stumped seal masters for years. It could be anything from the boy simply not performing the jutsu correctly to something in the seal fighting against him."

Kakashi nodded before asking, "Why not let him look over the jutsu formula?"

"The thought had crossed my mind, but we were never able to locate a detailed copy of Minato's version of the formula. It is likely still locked away in the Namikaze estate. The place is blocked off by powerful blood seals, and the only way in would be with-"

"Naruto," Kakashi finished.

"Yes, and that would raise some difficult questions that the boy is not ready for. It is far too early. Besides, he has come this far on his own. Let's see if the boy is able to master it by himself. The more he experiments, the better understanding he will gain of it."

The Hokage leaned back in his chair. "Now I think we've discussed Naruto enough for one night. I'm curious to hear about your other two students."

Kakashi closed his visible eye. "Sasuke performed just as expected for one from his clan. Powerful fire techniques and superb taijutsu skills. I'd be willing to say that he is already chunin rank in skill."

"But…"

"But he needs to work on social skills. I can already see traces of a severe inferiority and superiority complex in the works. At least he sees his teammates as people he can stand. I intend to keep a close eye on that and make sure it doesn't develop into something ugly."

The Hokage nodded. "And what about little Hinata?"

Kakashi rubbed his head. "Honestly, I didn't get a good look at Hinata's skill level. I can only assume that she is competent in her clan's taijutsu. She was the only one who saw through the meaning of the test and was preoccupied with aiding her teammates the entire time. I'd appreciate it if you could point me in the direction of some beginner medical jutsu. She has a knack for it. Coupled with her byakugan, I see quite the surgeon in our future."

The Hokage nodded as he soaked this in. "She will need your guidance. She is set on a challenging and difficult path."

Kakashi warily stared at the old man. "As her teacher, you are entitled to certain information. This is a secret to be kept between Hiashi Hyuuga and us. About two years ago, there was an incident beneath the clan's library…"

* * *

Said Hyuuga unceremoniously flopped onto her bed, exhausted from the day's events. She had just finished talking with her father. His eyes had flashed when he heard the names of her teammates, and she could have sworn she had seen him sharply glance to a photo on his desk. Even after that display, he seemed pleased with the results of her report.

Of course, she had left out the part of how she had been tied to the pole. She could only imagine the lecture and shame she would receive if he heard about that.

She shifted her head into a more comfortable position, and was met by the small scroll sitting on her nightstand. She glared at the parchment until she noticed that something was different. Just like its inside, the outside had always remained blank, but now, there was a kanji for 1 written in black ink.

She nervously took the scroll into her hand. She took a deep breath before slowly opening it. The once blank pages were now partly filled.

She gazed across the title that read: " _The Tale of The Rabbit_ _Goddess: Part 1"_

 **Author's Note:**

 *******IMPORTANT******

 **(Like I said in the last chapter, I had to split this original chapter in two. So any notes in this chapter also apply to the last. Thank you for your time)**

 **Now that is a long chapter. I've begun to notice that it's actually easier to write the original stuff rather than the parts that actually follow the canon. Odd right? You'd think it would be easier following a set form.**

 **Anyways, I've noticed that some reviews are only showing up in my email, and apparently this is an issue with the site. I am noticing the new reviews, and I do appreciate them. Once the site also fixes its picture problem, I'll upload the cover for the story (it's a depiction of Naruto in his new clothes).**

 **"** **Why is that one jutsu in English, when the others aren't?" I hear you ask. It's simple. I like it more in English than I like the translation.**

 **I also wrote most of the first half late at night, so sorry if it doesn't seem up to par with the second half.**

 **Anyways, thanks for your continued support. Please follow and review.**


	9. Chapter 9 - A Change of Pace

Chapter 9 - A Change of Pace

Sasuke was irritated. Granted, this wasn't an unusual thing for him, but today it was at a boiling point. He had hoped that his training would finally get serious after he had left the academy. Instead, he felt like he was stuck in place, unable to do anything to seriously affect his growth. For over a month now, all his sensei had taught them was team-building exercises. He didn't need or want the man's sentimental lessons.

This plus the fact that they were stuck doing chores every day was driving him mad. He refused to call them missions. No matter how much Kakashi explained how the D-ranks were essential for the village and a right of passage for genin, it was still a waste of their time.

What bothered him even more was the feeling that he was no longer miles ahead of his teammates.

He glared at his two teammates. Hinata was off warming up with her jyuuken katas, while the major source of his sense of inferiority sat across from him with his nose stuck behind another one of his books.

Even though he still held no interest in studying fuinjutsu, he couldn't help but feel jealousy creep through his body over the boy's proficiency in the art, especially after his latest news.

After years of effort, the blonde had finally arrived at the final book of the intermediate series. During their missions, he wouldn't stop talking about how excited he was for some sort of test. Apparently, if he passed it, he could finally move on to the advanced series.

Although he could have been more humble about it, Sasuke had indeed earned the right to consider himself the strongest of his age group. That being said, even he wouldn't claim to be any kind of expert in the fields he specialized in. His levels in taijutsu and ninjutsu were certainly above most chunin, but still nowhere close to earning a title of mastery.

It was humbling and vexing to admit that he wasn't the only prodigy on the team. The boy may have been socially inept and struggled with the simplest of subjects, but somehow he was at a level of skill that already surpassed the majority of fuinjutsu users in Konoha.

Not that there _were_ many fuinjutsu users in Konoha. For how important the art seemed to be, he was surprised when he had found out that they were extremely uncommon. His mother had once told him about a failed sealing corps project from before he was born. It had been a project created by the Yondaime as an attempt to revitalize the dying art back to Konoha. In fact, a close friend of Sasuke's mother had apparently been some sort of teacher for this project. However, the project fell apart after the Kyuubi attack and the Yondaime's death. Without teachers, the students were apparently unable to progress any further, after they approached the more complicated course load.

Yet someone his age was advancing further than grown adults had managed with help from the Hokage.

He tried to shove the accomplishments of the irritating blonde out of his mind as his gaze fell upon his other teammate.

Even she was progressing, although not exactly in her skills as a ninja. She had finally become more comfortable around the two boys and her stutter had all but disappeared. Of course, she still blushed up a storm whenever Naruto complimented her or got too close.

Today as he gazed at her face, he noticed something was wrong. It was like her body was on autopilot as it moved from set to set. Her face betrayed that the fact that something was bothering her.

Hinata's mind was indeed occupied. Her thoughts lingered on the conversation she had before she arrived at the training grounds.

* * *

 _(Earlier that morning)_

Hinata had made it abundantly clear she held no fondness for the bottom floor of the clan library. In fact, the only positive memory she could associate with the place was of the jutsu scroll her mother had left her. She hated the dark, cold feeling the room gave off, which seemed to mirror the main family that were its only visitors. That being said, she couldn't deny that the room was an incredible source of information. It was just that none of it was helping her right now.

The previously dark room was now brightly lit as new lanterns had been placed along the walls. Hinata sat at a desk in the corner of the room consumed by a sea of scrolls.

Ever since that day when the scroll finally decided to reveal its contents, she had immersed herself in research. She had realized that this was something that was never going to go away until she dealt with it. So, she decided to take the initiative. Her father had given her full access to the clan's records and she was making the most of it.

She usually never worked on her project in the mornings. Normally, she reserved time for the scroll only after her daily missions and her own private training. Today, she had decided to come down to the floor because she believed she might have stumbled upon a breakthrough the night before.

However, just as the others before it, her lead turned out to be another dead end. While her lead had initially held promise, records from multiple sources just didn't line up with the story in the scroll.

She rubbed her eyes and looked at her clock. She decided she could read through it one more time before she had to meet up with her teammates. She picked up the scroll and began reading the fable she almost had memorized by this point.

 ** _The Tale of the Rabbit Goddess: Part 1_**

 ** _It is believed that power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely._**

 ** _This is the tale of the rabbit goddess._**

 ** _How she came to be, came to love, came to fear, and came to hate._**

 ** _For love breeds sacrifice, which in turn breeds hatred._**

 ** _When we lose someone or something precious to us, hate is born. Vengeance is the product of that hate and so death and pain follow._**

 ** _For millennia, pain spread across the world of man, bringing with it the ultimate byproduct of human nature: war._**

 ** _Wars for greed. Wars for love_**

 ** _Wars amongst enemies. Wars amongst friends_**

 ** _Wars amongst rivals. Wars amongst brothers._**

 ** _It was a never ending cycle that consumed the human consciousness._**

 ** _Then one day, a being clad in blinding light descended from the sky._**

 ** _Her skin was as white as ivory. Her eyes were as pale as the moon._**

 ** _This celestial maiden was revered and taken into the world of man._**

 ** _She was taken in and served the lord of the land she arrived in._**

 ** _This lord and the maiden made a connection during her service._**

 ** _However, this was not love._**

 ** _Love was a foreign concept to her. She had only one desire in this world._**

 ** _Her wish was for a world of peace devoid of fighting._**

 ** _Over time, rival nations grew jealous of the lord and his mysterious mistress, and decided to lay claim to the land._**

 ** _However, a great spirit inhabited this land._**

 ** _In the center of the mountains stood the Divine Tree, whose branches towered above all. From this tree, a single fruit was born. This fruit was said to contain great power, but the tree spirit would defend its power from any intruders._**

 ** _To end the fighting in her name, the maiden stormed the stronghold of the spirit and took the power of the fruit for her own._**

 ** _From the moment the fruit entered her mouth, their destinies were entwined._**

 ** _From that point forward, one could not exist without the other._**

 ** _Their energies merged, and with her newfound power, she laid waste to the armies of man._**

 ** _Thus began the rein of the Byakugan Queen, who was praised for her power and became a goddess to the people of the world._**

 ** _To maintain this power, she cut all her ties to the lands she had previously known._**

 ** _This included her ties to the lord with whom she had connected._**

 ** _Over time, the fruits of their connection emerged and the rabbit goddess gave birth to two sons._**

 ** _These sons were also blessed with the power of the tree, and she finally learned to love._**

 ** _However, the seeds of mistrust had already been planted._**

The story abruptly cut off at this point, and it irritated her to no end. Hinata was someone who could not stand to leave a book unfinished.

She felt that she had only been given a glimpse into this story and she wanted to know more. Who was this woman? How did she fall from grace?

Hinata had never heard of such a title of a " _Byakugan Queen."_ She had combed through the piles of scrolls of the clan's history looking for any hint towards the story.

This is what led to Hinata returning this morning. She had been following a lead of a Hyuuga matriarch who had used a similar moniker. However, her origins were well documented and did not align with the story.

Hinata didn't know what to make of the story. This whole situation of ghosts, goddesses, and divine figures made her feel uncomfortable. While she wanted to dismiss the story as a fairy tale, she had the sinking suspicion that this was more of a precautionary tale.

She had tried her best to figure out a connection between the characters in the story with the Hyuuga ring, but she couldn't solve a puzzle if she didn't have all of the pieces.

This was all too much for a 12-year-old genin, who also had to focus on maintaining her training and completing missions. If she was ever going to solve this puzzle, she needed help.

* * *

( _Same Time)_

This train of thought was shared with her father as he sat face to face with Shikaku Nara.

It wasn't every day that a Hyuuga hierarch admitted that they needed help. While the prospect was certain to be troublesome, it had definitely proved interesting.

"I'm sure your council would object to me aiding you in this," he drawled as he cast a lazy eye over the symbols and hieroglyphs.

"That's why I have neglected to inform them of our meeting. I can no longer pretend to act as if the Hyuuga can solve this on our own. Generations have tried and gotten nowhere. The council has grown stale and deadlocked. They seek progression, yet are unable to accept change."

Shikaku nodded as he scrolled through the pages of the journals, his eyes absorbing the information off of the page.

"I'll certainly take a crack at it. I have a cousin who works in the cryptology department. He's extremely passionate about this sort of thing. To be honest, if it weren't for pressure from his father, he'd probably be an archeologist. Is it alright if I bring him in on this?"

"If you believe that he will provide substantial help towards your progress, then by all means."

After a few moments of silence, Shikaku looked Hiashi in the eyes.

"How is Hinata-sama responding to all of this?"

Hiashi closed his eyes. "Originally, not well. An incident like that would be traumatic for any child. It took a lot of coercion to get her to return to the bottom floor. However, she has lately been going down there more and more."

"Do you think she has made a breakthrough?"

"I don't know. Honestly…"

Hiashi paused as he activated his byakugan. The sight of the veins made Shikaku tense, as the Hyuuga patriarch made sure that they were alone.

"This is strictly to be kept between you and me. Do you understand?" Shikaku nodded.

"I've begun to notice something rather…odd."

Shikaku frowned. This was the head of the Hyuuga clan. A clan renowned for its elegance, precision, and intellect. "Odd" was a very interesting choice of words.

"Odd how?" he asked as he narrowed his eyes.

"There have been moments, when I have noticed large segments of time missing in my memory after talking with Hinata. I never even noticed it at first. It wasn't until one of my maids told me that I had been sitting in my office for two hours after a talk with her. It happens whenever she approaches me about something, but I can never seem to be able to remember what we discussed. Even when I have approached her about the topic, the same thing seems to happen."

Shikaku's mind raced a mile a minute. He was very careful with his next choice of words. "No offense Hiashi-sama, but are you certain that your daughter isn't placing you in a genjutsu?"

"Absolutely. She has the chakra control for a powerful genjutsu user, but she has never been taught any outside of the ones taught at the academy. In any case, I made certain to activate my byakugan on one occasion before speaking with her, and it was still active after I finished. Besides, she isn't the type to keep big secrets. She is far too kind for her own good."

Shikaku closed his eyes as his mind began to wander through the possibilities.

"She may not be the cause, but she is definitely the link."

He rolled around an idea in his head. "She may not be the one directly doing it," he said slowly. Seeing the frown on Hiashi's face he continued. "From what you've told me about this monument of yours, this goes beyond the normal clan secrecy bull. Whatever Hinata-sama has gotten herself involved in, its discovery is certain to have a permanent effect on how the clan is seen and structured. This puts her in a position of extreme leverage. Someone may be trying to utilize this. Hinata-sama claimed to see a figure during her event in the library. While there obviously wasn't a ghost, there is a serious possibility there was another person in the room with her."

Hiashi's eyes narrowed. "Are you suggesting that this individual is the cause for my gaps in memory?"

"What I'm suggesting is that there is a possibility of another party involved in this. For now, keep your eyes open for any shady activity within the clan. Especially keep a close eye on the council. They would be the only ones with clearance to that level."

He began packing the supplies Hiashi had given him into a storage seal and shook's Hiashi's hand.

"Thank you for considering this for me. I am very grateful."

"Don't mention it. Besides, I still owe your wife for saving the lives of my team during that mission in Earth country. Before I go, I'd suggest having another talk with Hinata. If she really has made a breakthrough, she will need as much help as she can get. Try writing a letter to her beforehand in case you find yourself subjected to whatever is going on."

With that, Shikaku left Hiashi's office. As he headed for the front gate, he was surprised to run into the very topic of his last conversation.

"Well good morning Hinata-sama," he said as he gave the girl a small bow.

"Oh, Nara-sama!" she said as she deeply bowed to the Jounin Commander, "I had no idea you were here."

He chuckled as he stared at the girl. "I had to attend to some business with your father regarding a personal project. I take it you are heading out to meet your team?"

"Indeed sir."

"Well then. The Nara estate is in the same direction as the training grounds. Would you mind if I accompanied you?"

"No sir. Not at all."

With that, the two headed out of the gates and began walking towards the west side of the village.

"How is Shikamaru-san? Is he adjusting to his new team?" the girl inquired.

Shikaku sighed as he ran a hand over his hair. "The boy is even lazier than I had been at his age, but I can already tell he is going to be twice as sharp as I am. Concerning his teammates, he has been close with Chouji and Ino for years. At this point, its like throwing three siblings together on a team."

Hinata giggled as she pictured Ino standing over the two boys. She could clearly see her barking orders as the two boys groaned and complained.

"Speaking of teams, I'm very curious about yours," Shikaku said as he glanced down at the girl.

"Really? Why is that?" she asked.

"Your team is a special one. I don't know if you have any knowledge about the history of Team 7, but it's worth looking into. Every member who has been placed on that team has gone on to leave a permanent mark on history."

This surprised Hinata. She had never thought about the previous incarnations of her team.

"Could you name someone I would be familiar with?"

' _So you haven't told her yet Hiashi,'_ Shikaku thought. Shaking his head, he continued, "Well, this was about three iterations back, but the Team 7 of old used to be team used by the Sandaime when he taught the Legendary Sannin."

Her eyes were as wide as saucers. The Hokage had seen to place her on a team whose legacy included the likes of the Sannin? He saw that kind of potential in her? And what did that say about her sensei? She had known he was skilled, but to that extent?

"I hear the team is now made up of yourself, the Uchiha heir, and that troublesome blonde brat, who painted the horns of all of our deer bright orange," Shikaku said with a clear look of irritation.

Hinata had to bite her tongue to contain her laughter. She had completely forgotten about that incident. Shikamaru had been angry with Naruto for a week after that. Mostly because he had been the one forced to clean it up.

"Well, Uchiha-san is very reserved and doesn't like to talk to the rest of us very often. He is incredibly talented and certainly lives up the reputation of the Uchiha legacy. His taijutsu is precise and he is very skilled in ninjutsu. However, he seems to carry a heavy burden upon his shoulders. I don't know what is causing him that pain, but we are hoping he will open up to us soon."

Shikaku nodded, storing that for later. "And what about the Uzumaki? As much as that incident bugged me, I can respect the brat for actually managing to sneak onto our property without being found. From what I hear, he's quite the fuinjutsu expert."

Hinata nodded and beamed. "Yes sir. Naruto-kun has proven to be very adept at the art sealing. While his taijutsu certainly needs a little work, I'm certain he'll be able to fix it. His speed is incredible. I have never seen anyone our age move so fast."

Shikaku looked down at her with one eye. "Is he using any sort of weight training? It's old fashioned, but I've seen the results they can accomplish," he said as a vision of green spandex burst into his mind.

"No sir. I don't believe so. He might be receiving help from someone, but he hasn't told us yet. Although I don't know when he'd have the time. If he is not spending time on missions, he is always off in the woods reading and experimenting with new seals."

Shikaku opened an eye and gazed down at her. "Now how would you know what he is doing in his private time?"

She tried to prevent the crimson hue from spreading across her face. Was she really that easy to read? And in front of a clan leader no less! She knew this was Shikamaru's father, but still…

Shikaku chuckled as the two continued their walk in awkward silence, well awkward for the embaressed girl anyway. As they neared the west gates, it was time for them to part ways.

"I hope you and your team have a productive day Hinata-sama."

"Thank you Nara-sama. And I wish you success on whatever project you and my father are working on."

He nodded and she began to head out of the gate.

"Hinata-sama, a moment."

She turned around to stare at the Nara hierarch. Gone was the jovial expression he had worn on their walk over. He was staring at her with a serious expression that she had only ever seen on Shikamaru's face once or twice.

"It is never a bad idea to look for help from others, especially when you are in over your head. Keeping secrets will only add to your stress and make things more difficult for you. If you have a problem stopping you from telling someone, take a step back and find a way around it."

With that, he turned and left the white-eyed girl shocked and speechless as she stood under the arch of the gate.

He knew.

* * *

(Present)

To say she was shocked would be an understatement.

There was only one way he could possibly know about her issue. It surprised her that her father was so dedicated to this problem that he would reveal such important secrets of the clan to an outsider.

Could the monument be the project that Nara-sama had been referring to?

In any case, he was right. Being unable to share any information about the scroll was starting to take a toll on her. She almost completely avoided contact with her father in case he thought she was going crazy.

It was also time to start reaching out to others for help.

She would renew her efforts to reach out to her father. Maybe it was time try a simple solution. If he something was preventing him from seeing the story in scroll, then maybe he would see it on a different one.

She made one final strike before raising her hands over her head and brought them down in the ending position.

' _Thank you Nara-sama.'_

She turned around to see Sasuke staring intently at her face. He turned away quickly after they made eye contact. She was about to speak, when a cloud of smoke erupted on the bridge, revealing the form of Kakashi.

"You're late baka-sensei!" Naruto shouted.

Kakashi bopped him on the head. "Mind your manners, Naruto. Good news team. There will be no training today. We have received a special mission from the Hokage just for us. It will be a nice change of pace to get out of the village for a while."

All of his genin perked up with this and stared at him with wide eyes.

"YATTA!" the blonde yelled as he bounced up and down. He grabbed Hinata's hands and started spinning in a circle.

"WE GOT A C-RANK! WE GOT A C-RANK!" the blonde chanted as Hinata fought tooth-and-nail to stay conscious.

"I'm sorry to say it Naruto, but it is not a C-rank mission," Kakashi said.

Naruto instantly deflated and face planted on the ground. Sasuke didn't seem too pleased either. Hinata spinned in place as she tried to regain her bearings.

"The mission is still a D-rank," Kakashi said, which caused the two boys to groan, "It's for a lumber business less than a day's travel away from the village."

"But we're going out of the village. Doesn't that mean it's a C-rank? What if we get jumped by bandits?"

"While most missions outside of the village are generally C-rank or above, that is not the case due to how close the outpost is from the village. Regarding any bandits, no bandit in their right mind would try anything so close to the village. We have scouting teams sweeping the area constantly, so no groups of bandits could ever set up camp along the path. Sorry to disappoint you, Naruto," Kakashi said with an eye smile.

Naruto pouted and grumbled as Hinata reached out and patted his head.

Sasuke pushed off the bridge and faced Kakashi. "So why is this mission so special?"

Kakashi turned to him and pulled out the mission scroll. "The Hokage personally asked us to take care of this job for one certain reason. Him," he said as he pointed the scroll at the blonde.

"Me?" Naruto exclaimed.

"Him!" Sasuke echoed.

"Indeed. A fire broke out in the worker's quarters two nights ago. While many of the workers were injured in the fire, thankfully no one was killed. The owner of the lumberyard has a very important order for a wealthy client in the village, and, sadly, the client isn't a very patient person, so the order needs to be shipped out right away. He has asked us to help him with loading the lumber into the wagons and escorting it back to the village. He and the Hokage are old friends, so when he reached out, the Sandaime gladly offered him a cheap D-rank mission with the perfect man for the job."

"But why am I so special for this mission?" Naruto asked as he wrinkled up his face.

"Simple: your kage bushin and gravity seals. With your help, loading the carts will be much faster as you can replace the workers who were injured and reduce the weight of the wood for everyone."

Naruto stared at Kakashi before saying, "Hell, I can do you one better than that Kakashi-sensei."

"Hmm?"

"Why don't I just seal the lumber away in a storage seal? That way it is easier to transport and it would reduce the amount of time necessary for loading and travel."

Kakashi rubbed his chin as he considered the idea. "That's not entirely out of the question. We would have to run it by the owner before we tried it."

He turned his attention back to his other students.

"Alright team, since time is of the essence, we are moving out today. It is going to be about an 8-hour hike from here to the town, so we should arrive around 7 p.m. if we leave on time. Pack for an overnight mission and we'll meet at the front gates in 2 hours. Don't be late."

With that, he disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Naruto looked excited. He rarely got to go outside of the village, and any chance to show off his fuinjutsu skills was all right with him. He stormed off towards his apartment shouting his goodbyes to his teammates as he ran off.

This left the two clan heirs alone as they headed back towards the village.

"Are you excited for the mission Sasuke-kun?" Hinata asked trying to make small talk.

"Hn. I'm not too thrilled by it, but it will at least be a nice change of pace," and that was all the boy said on the matter.

They continued walking in silence for several minutes, until Sasuke surprised Hinata when he asked, "Are you also irritated by Kakashi's lax teaching method?"

She rolled the question around in her head and chose her words carefully when she replied, "While I can agree with Kakashi-sensei's attitude towards the importance of team work, I can admit that I would also like something a little more challenging. While I am sure he is taking things at his own rate, it can seem frustrating at times."

Her answer seemed to satisfy him.

"Good. When we come back from this mission, I want you and Naruto to back me up when I confront him."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm tired of not learning anything new. I want to learn some actually skills that don't revolve around teamwork. Working together is fine, but we aren't always going to be facing enemies together. When we get back, I am going to make him change up our training schedule."

Hinata paused before she asked, "And what if he says no."

Sasuke frowned as the gates came into view. "Then I'll just have to find someone else who is willing to teach me. You have your family to help you and the dobe has his stupid books. I am not going to waste my time anymore."

The resentment in his voice startled the Hyuuga heiress. "I don't believe it will come to that. I think Kakashi sensei will listen to us if we present our case to him. Besides, we are a team. Whatever we do from now on, we do together."

Sasuke sent her a look that she didn't quite recognize before he curtly said goodbye and headed off towards the Uchiha district.

As she headed back towards the Hyuuga compund, her thoughts drifted back to the scroll that plagued her free time and a headache started to form.

A mission out of the village would certainly do good for everyone.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Getting into some conspiracy shit! Is it really a spirit or is there something more nefarious going on? You'll just have to wait and find out.**

 **Major milestone on Tuesday. You guys doubled the previous record and the story had 2.29 thousand views. I'm extremely grateful for all of the feedback. It has really helped pick us some small errors and shape some of the finer details of the story.**

 *******In case some of you still don't get it, here's a rundown of what's happening to Hiashi:**

 **Whenever Hinata tried to show her father the scroll or even bring it up in conversation, Hiashi would act as if it had never happened. If she forcefully tried to make him see the scroll, nothing would appear. Even if she didn't have it with her and just brought it up, the same effect would happen. But this effect only activates if she tries to talk about the existence of the scroll. If she were to, say, write down its contents on another piece of paper and show him that, then he would be able to see it.**

 **So now, for the question corner. Where I'll look at the reviews and answer questions without giving too much away.**

 **In response to Kartikey's question: "why can Naruto learn a fire jutsu so early?" Y** **es, his main element is wind and he is more likely to adapt better to wind jutsu. That being said, I did't want to conform to the trope of him only learning one elemental type. I also did it cause I really wanted Naruto to inherit a couple of jutsu from Kitsune early on. Don't forget, it's not like he learned this out of thin air. He had received it as a birthday present from Kitsune. He has been working on it for over a year, and he is still only in the first stage.**

 **If any of you have any more questions, I'll be happy to answer.**


	10. Chapter 10 - A Dying Breed

Chapter 10 – A Dying Breed

Hinata was always one to arrive early. She had her own policy: always leave thirty minutes before a scheduled time. Maybe she'd get there a little early, but it was always better to be early than late. So she was more than surprised when she found Kakashi waiting for her at the entrance of the village.

"You're here early," she said as she walked up to the man.

"You make it sound like this is a uncommon thing," Kakashi said with an eye smile.

Hinata only shot him a raised eyebrow and he chuckled. "Now, now. We are on the clock. I'm never late when we are on a mission. How punctual I am when we're off the clock is my business."

"I don't think Sasuke-kun and Naruto-kun would like it if they heard you say that Kakashi-sensei," she reprimanded.

"Probably not. Which is why it's just going to be our little secret, Hinata-chan," he said as he ruffled her navy hair affectionately.

She tried to look a little agitated by the gesture, but couldn't muster up the anger to do it. The result ended up looking like something an amused pout.

They stood there and conversed for ten minutes before Sasuke arrived. He had the same surprised look as Hinata upon seeing Kakashi. Instead of commenting on it, he walked up to the wall of the village and rested in the shade.

Of course, it was two minutes before the scheduled time before Naruto burst onto the scene.

"I'm not late am I?" he panted as he tried to regain his breath.

"Nope, just in time," Kakashi drawled, "I assume you left your bag on purpose?"

The boy nodded as he reached into his kunai pouch and pulled out a little scroll.

"All sealed up and ready to go sensei!" he said with a smile.

Kakashi nodded and turned to address the group. "Okay team. Like I said before, this should take us about eight hours to get there. While this mission isn't exactly going to be life threatening, still act as if we were in a real scenario. Consider it training for the real thing."

All three lined up and Naruto gave the man a mock salute. "What are your orders, sensei?"

Kakashi sighed and continued, "Sasuke and Hinata. When we arrive, I want you to drop off your stuff in your accommodations and begin patrolling the area. While there is little threat from enemy nin, there is a chance of one of the men getting a little greedy in the wake of the confusion. Just keep an eye on things, while the manager and I discuss some details for tomorrow."

"What about me sensei?" Naruto butted in.

"I was getting to that. You are going to join me for your proposal to the manager. I think it would be best if there was a practical demonstration to ease the man into the idea."

Naruto's eyes lit up. He loved getting to show off his fuinjutsu prowess, even if it was something simple.

It was almost to quick to see, but Kakashi noticed Sasuke shooting the boy a short glare.

Oh, was the little Uchiha prodigy getting a little jealous? Now wasn't that entertaining. Kakashi smiled as an idea popped into his head.

"Well, if we are going to treat this like a real mission, why start when we get there?"

This drew confused looks from his genin. Oh, they were just so precious and innocent.

"Let's have a little fun and treat this like an escort mission."

"Huh," Naruto intelligibly said, "I don't get it. Who's the escort?"

"You." Kakashi eye-smiled.

As the boy sputtered, a tiny grin broke out on Sasuke's face. "What's wrong dobe? It makes perfect sense. We have to protect the most fragile of the group."

"What did you say you teme?" he yelled at the boy.

Hinata held an arm in front of him and tried to hold him back from lunging at the black-haired boy. "Naruto, although Sasuke was a little rude when he said it, it does make sense."

"Hinata-chan! You too?" he sulked off on the ground as dark lines appeared above his head. "You think I'm fragile?"

Her eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. "N-no, no, no, Naruto-kun. You misunderstood. I-I meant that you are key for making this mission a success, so it makes sense that you are the valued person."

Kakashi chuckled as he watched the exchange. "Alright. If you're done pouting Naruto, then let's move out. Sasuke, you take point, while Hinata and I will be along side Naruto."

* * *

The mission was so far a success. The trio of figures watched as their escort interacted with the manager of the lumberyard. His blonde hair gleamed as he amiably chatted with the manager about how they could reduce the amount of time necessary for transport due to their tragic accident.

He only glanced in their direction once, and the dim gleam of their forehead protectors in the evening light reassured him that they were still there.

As time went on, he noticed one figures detach itself from the rest of the group and head off deeper into the woods. Probably to go on patrol. Things were certainly going to start heating up soon if what the manager had said was true, but this was what he prepared for. It would be unprofessional for him to loose his composure at the first sign of trouble.

After all, you don't spend two years of your life preparing to infiltrate Konoha only to loose your cool at the first sign of trouble.

* * *

The Iwa jounin wanted to sigh due to his comrade's vexing behavior. The man was a ninja for crying out loud. He was way too fidgety than the jounin felt comfortable with, especially this close to Konoha. The jounin could barely understand the Tsuchikage's reasoning for including him on this mission.

The chunin was rash, impatient, and thought with his heart rather than his head. He was too much of a loose cannon for this delicate operation. The jounin preferred the chunin's other teammate for this mission; at least he could act professional. That was why he had sent the man off to prepare for the incoming team from Konoha.

Dam that cursed drunkard who had caused the fire in the barracks. Because of him, their operation, which had taken months of paperwork and preparation, was at risk.

Their mole was posing as a carpenter under contract for the labor yard. It had taken months to forge the appropriate paperwork for him to get into Konoha, but now it could possibly be undone just because of an uncontrollable accident. Murphy's Law really was a bitch.

Now, Konoha was sending out a team to help the manager and that complicated things. The jounin's team was sent to ensure that the spy slipped by the Fire Nation borders undisturbed, and provide cover for an escape route in the event something went wrong before he got inside the village. Their close proximity to the spy could alert the group from Konoha that something was wrong, causing them to investigate further.

He was broken out of his thoughts as the other chunin returned.

"Daiki-san, the team from Konoha is almost here."

The jounin frowned. "Did they catch even a glimpse of you?"

Kyou shook his head. "No, I'm certain, but you don't have to worry too much. Like we hoped, it's just a team of genin."

Daiki felt a weight lift off his chest. Perfect. Now the only thing they had to worry about was the genin team's jounin. Depending on his or her ability, they may not have to alter their plans.

"Perfect. I can't wait to see the trash Konoha sent. This'll be a breeze!" the other chunin confidently smirked.

Daiki frowned. "Takara, go check on the traps set along our escape route."

"What! But why? I want to see the Konoha scum up close!" he argued.

The jounin fixed him a dark stare. "Because I ordered you to. Now move it."

The chunin grumbled as he darted off.

Kyou offered the jounin an apologetic smile. "I apologize for my friend's rude behavior Daiki-san."

The jounin rubbed his forehead. "He sounds too much like that upstart Yuuto. How the hell did that insubordinate hothead become a chunin?"

"Takara is one of my best friends, but I will be one of the first to say that he wasn't quite ready to be promoted to chunin. Yuuto-sama and other members of the council put pressure on the Tsuchikage in order to speed him along. They needed him to pass the requirement in order to activate certain clan restoration laws. Even if he is mentally not ready for the rank, he makes up for it in his ability. Did the Tsuchikage tell you why he was chosen for this mission?"

"Something about covering us if we need to escape, but I don't see what the hell could be so special about that hothead."

"He's one of the last of his family line. His family had a special kekkai genkai, which made their clan especially hard to kill, but almost all of them died during the last shinobi war. He's a little overzealous when it comes to Konoha, since one team discovered a weakness in their jutsu and exploited it. After spreading the information across their ranks, the clan's numbers greatly diminished. The Tsuchikage sent me to keep him in check because I'm the only one he'll calm down enough to listen to."

Daiki was not one to argue against the decisions of his kage. If the man thought Kyou could handle the chunin on this important mission, then he would let him.

"Still, his attitude towards Konoha reflects more of Yuuto's mindset than I would like. His hate filled speeches and propaganda are doing more bad for the village's moral, than good."

Kyou nodded. "I agree. Did you hear that he wanted the Tsuchikage to pardon the traitor Deidara as well?"

Daiki rounded on him, "That's absurd! After all of the damage he left in his wake out of the village?"

Kyou looked grim, "He believe his phrased it as being able to forgive the rebellious stage of a young artist. Honestly, I think he just wants to gather up as many people he can who would side with him over the Tsuchikage."

Daiki shot him a look, "Do you think he would try anything?

He shook his head. "Not anytime soon. He does not have enough followers for that, but I won't deny that I think that may be his ultimate intention. That is part of the reason why the Tsuchikage has assigned me to watch over Takara. He wants me to try to shake those feelings of hate out of his system and ensure his loyalty."

He paused and turned his attention towards the road. "I apologize Daiki-san, I believe we are going to have to cut this conversation short. The team should be arriving in a few minutes."

They waited in silence for several minutes before the silhouettes of Konoha's team became visible in the dark. Kyou did not get a chance to look at the group up close before, so now he really began studying the group. He did not recognize the jounin, so he turned his attention to the genin. The first to become visible had a mob of blonde hair and a booming voice. There was something familiar about the boy but he couldn't place it, so he turned his attention to the other two. The blonde was chatting along with a young girl with dark hair, who he was surprised to recognize as a Hyuuga. Not just any Hyuuga, but a main family member! He was even more surprised when the boy in front passed and he recognized the iconic fan shape on his back. An Uchiha! The last loyal Uchiha to Konoha!

A different train of thought went through the jounin's mind as he instantly recognized the jounin from the bingo book. That was Kakashi Hatake of the Sharingan!

Of course they couldn't have been blessed with a lower level jounin. Instead, they were faced with arguably the strongest jounin Konoha had.

Thankfully, the man's attention was held by a small book and his students were too distracted conversing amongst themselves to notice the duo watching them. They would have remained undiscovered, if their other teammate had not chosen this exact moment to loudly return.

Immediately, the jounin tackled Takara and held him behind a tree. The chunin struggled furiously as the jounin tried to keep him quiet. All he could do was pray as he tried to silence the impatient chunin within his grasp. After several minutes, Kyou appeared by their side.

"It is clear. They have passed."

Daiki finally released Takara, who began gasping for air.

"What—The hell—Was that for?"

"Shut up you idiot! You almost got us caught!"

He turned his attention back to Kyou. "Did they notice us after I dived for Takara?"

"The genin did not notice, but the jounin did glance in our direction. He seemed to stare right at where you were hiding. If he noticed, he didn't act on it."

"Shit!" he said, as he ran a hand through his hair. Hatake would be suspicious now. He would now be keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary.

Their spy was good and was trained to fool even Konoha's ANBU, but even so, he was not prepared for someone with Kakashi's experience. Especially, if they had to stay in a close proximity with him all the way back to the village.

"There's more, I don't know if you noticed, but they had the Hyuuga and Uchiha heirs with them too."

"What!" Takara gasped, "Screw this infiltration mission. Let's just abduct them now! The heirs of the two most powerful dojutsu lines are worth way more than protecting the spy."

The jounin closed his eyes as he thought. He really wanted to consider it. The opportunity to nab two valuable heirs to Konoha was almost too good to pass up. However, the more he thought about it, the less enchanted he became with the idea.

If they were to attempt to abduct the two, he was certain a confrontation with Hatake would be unavoidable. If they managed to get away, Konoha would surely start asking questions as to why they were in their borders to begin with, which would put their spy at risk. And this was assuming they managed to get away. Right now, they were in the heart of Fire Country. It would take them days of travel to reach the border. It was already going to be challenging to leave undetected as originally planned. They would be even slower with the added weight, making it easy for hunter-nin to catch up. Plus the border patrol.

As good of an opportunity as it was, there were too many factors for them to fail.

"As much as I hate to say it, we are going to have to pass on this opportunity. We would likely fail in our endeavor and potentially put our spy at risk."

Takara was about to object, but was silenced when Daiki raised his hand. "Non-negotiable. Now, let's move on to see what we can do to make sure this mission is still a success. First, we need to push back in case that Hyuuga activates her byakugan. Next, their jounin is going to be on the lookout for anything suspicious now. We have to find a way to draw his attention away from our informant. Here is what we are going to do."

* * *

"We're finally here!" the blonde shouted as the complex came into view. The complex was mostly barren with a few clusters of buildings off to one side. On the opposite side of the complex was the actual lumberyard. The ground was covered in dirt and pine dust from the acres of trees that were torn down.

Hinata and Sasuke also let out a sigh of relief as their eyes wandered the new environment. Kakashi's attention may have seemed glued to his book, but he was instead scanning the tree line around the complex.

He was sure he had seen something earlier, and it was making him uneasy. Any friendly hunter-nin or patrolling officer would have at least clarified his identity through hand signals. The whole situation made him uncomfortable, and he had long ago learned to listen to his gut.

"Change of plans guys," he said as he turned their attention back to him. "Hinata, Sasuke, I know I told you to look around, but I've changed my mind. We are all going to go meet with the manager, before we hit the hay. You guys deserve a break for not complaining through the whole trip."

Hinata seemed grateful, and Sasuke seemed like he didn't care. Naruto was jumping up and down with excitement as they headed towards the administrative building.

There was no need to worry them until he was sure it was something. It could just as easily been an animal that caught his attention, but he wanted to ensure it was nothing.

* * *

To say that Naruto's performance for the manager had gone well would be an understatement. He had been captivated by the boy's demonstration and Kakashi could see the glimmer in his eye as the new possibilities this presented swam through his head. He had instantly agreed to the boy's proposition and was very interested to learn more about the sealing techniques. Unfortunately for him, Kakashi decided to end their conversation as he noticed his other two charges growing drowsy. The blonde and the manager had been talking for over an hour and he decided to cut their conversation short.

They decided to set camp next to the storage facility for the lumber. After another hour, the three genin were sound asleep as Kakashi slowly exited his tent. He created a kage bunshin to stay with the group, before heading outside of their circle of tents. He paused to make sure Naruto's proximity seals were in still place before he dashed off towards the road.

At his current speed, it took him little time to return to the spot they had passed earlier. When he arrived, he bit his thumb and made four hand signs before slamming his hand into the ground.

After a cloud of smoke dissipated, a tiny brown pug sat in front of him.

"Kakashi, I thought you and your little squirts were out on an easy mission close to the village?" the dog said in a gruff voice.

"We still are on our mission. However, how easy it will remain will be decided if you find anything in the next few minutes," Kakashi replied seriously.

Pakkun nodded his head and followed the man into the trees. He came to a stop a short distance away from the road and noticed a bush with heavily bent twigs. He knelt down and studied it as he waved Pakkun over.

"See if you can get a scent off of this."

The dog began sniffing at the bush, before turning to the man and said, "Don't notice anything out of the ordinary."

Kakashi nodded. "Go look around the area, and report back if you find anything."

As the dog walked away with his nose in the dirt, Kakashi scanned his eyes around the area. He was sure he had seen something right here. Even if it had been just an animal, there should have been a scent left over. While some might have said he was being paranoid, the ANBU in him just wouldn't let it slide.

"Kakashi, up here," Pakkun called.

Kakashi jumped up to a branch not far away and landed next to Pakkun.

"Find anything?"

"No, but that is exactly what the problem is."

He pointed his nose to where the branch connected with the tree. "Right here. I smell nothing. I mean, no smell from the bark or leaves. Nothing. I think we both know what that means."

He did know what this meant. Many hunter-nins and ANBU agents used a particular musk to hide their scent during high profile stealth missions. It was as close to perfect as you were going to get. It completely masked the scent of whoever applied it, allowing the user to even trick the noses of the famed Inuzuka.

However, it did have one flaw. It worked a little too well. The musk was so heavy that it tended to linger for hours at a time. While some might have argued this was a good thing, it created its own problem. If a person lingered long enough, the musk would spread out and encompass the area around them. This left its own kind of trail, for it left behind a vacuum of air devoid of any scent.

Kakashi frowned. Something was very wrong. Whoever had been here did not want their presence known.

"Thanks Pakkun. I may need to call you again in the next day or two, so be ready on standby. When you return, ask the Hokage if he has had any patrols go through this sector."

"No problem," the dog nodded before asking, "And just when are you going to let us meet your new little students? Bull is very excited to meet them."

In spite of the situation, Kakashi chuckled. "I'll make sure to have them meet you all very soon. You guys may not like Sasuke, but I'm certain you're going to love Hinata. She'll probably spoil you rotten."

Pakkun waived his tail at the idea before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

Kakashi stood up and gazed around the forest. It was much to quiet for his liking. Someone was in the area that did not want to be found. Kakashi lifted off as he began searching for more clues.

After 4 hours of searching to no avail, he finally quit and returned to camp. His arrival had caused an uproar from the blonde, who drearily charged out of his tent after being woken up by his proximity seals. The jounin just waved him off by saying he had to go to the bathroom, causing the blonde and his two teammates to angrily stare at him as they returned to their tents.

As all three went back to sleep, Kakashi summoned more clones to keep watch. Let them get their sleep. Tomorrow, they would need their energy. They were all going to be busy tomorrow.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Sorry for the delay. Been busy with game day and studying. I've found it's much harder to write actions scenes than it is to write plot driven moments (if that isn't a spoiler for next chapter). I know not a lot happened this chapter, but it mostly serves as** **set up for the next chapter and future story arcs.**

 **I just want to shoot you guys a head's up. Sad to say it, but don't expect new chapters to come out on Thursdays or Saturdays. Those are my busiest days of the week. Thursday is my busiest day for work and Saturday is usually eaten up by college football.**

 **I also want to apologize ahead of time for the lack of chapters for this upcoming week. I have my first round of exams for Physics and I have to make a strong first grade, so definitely no chapter on Wednesday.**

 **Now that the boring stuff is out of the way, on to the question corner:**

 **In response to reviewer _"Neon and the Lost Soul."_ No, Naruto isn't going to mess with gravity seals for training. That trope is found in way too many fanfictions as it is. Even my personal favorite, Team 8 (which you should all read btw), falls into this pitfall. That's why I made him naturally fast to combat this theme.**

 **To LordTicky. Yes, Naruto is going to specialize in fuinjutsu throughout his career.**

 **To reviewer KK. Very close, but not quite on the money for that team configuration.**

 **To bigfan22, really enjoyed the review. I agree with what you said about Kushina vs Minato. It's just that the Hirasihin opens more opportunities story and action-wise than the chains do.**

 **Lastly to Hayden Elrics. No, it is not Zetsu.**

 **Enjoy this and the next chapter that I will post later today.**


	11. Chapter 11- Trial by Fire (Part 1)

Chapter 11 – Trial by Fire (Part 1)

It never stopped amazing him how much Naruto could accomplish when he put his mind to it. Kakashi stood next to his other two charges as they watched the horde of Naruto's clones work. It was like staring into a sea of blonde hair and navy sleeves as they ran around the construction yard.

They weren't the only ones enjoying the show. Workers who hadn't sustained major injuries were off in the shade laughing at the whole debacle.

The clones had a pretty efficient plan set out. Multiple groups carried the enormous blocks of wood out from the storage house into the courtyard and organized them into blocks of four planks up and five across. The original was sitting at a table next to the piles as he worked on the necessary storage seals. To ensure that nothing happened to the storage scrolls, he was making to sure to add special seals to prevent water and fire damage, just in case.

When he completed a scroll, he would stand up, walk over to the piles of wood, and hold the opened scroll against the wood. With a few hand signs, the pile would disappear in a cloud of smoke as a new kanji appeared on the paper. He would take the scroll and carefully place it in a small metal box off to the side.

The manager hovered over him the entire time entranced by the boy's actions. He had his own notes would occasionally interrupt the boy to ask a few questions, which he was delighted to answer.

After a while, Kakashi waved over the manager. The bespectacled man jogged over with a big grin plastered on his face.

"Are you sure I can't convince you to let me take him off your hands. He's a godsend. He's turning a four to five day job into something we'll have done by tonight! I was skeptical when Hiruzen said he had the perfect genin for the job, but this is spectacular."

Kakashi could see the blonde over the man's shoulder. He was rubbing the back of his head as a blush plastered on his face. He wasn't used to such praise.

"I'm sorry Kenta-san, but I'm afraid I'm going to decline on that. I'm sure it would alleviate some headaches in the village, but I just simply can't part with my _precious_ student. Who is going to annoy Sasuke if he's absent?"

Sasuke shot the jounin a glare as the blonde boy giggled. Even Hinata seemed to smile, though she tried to fight it. Sasuke shot her a hurt glare and she couldn't suppress her giggle that time.

"Anyways, I wanted to give you the heads up that I'm taking these two to do some patrols around the area. Since this is still a mission, I thought I'd take the time to practice some patrols."

The manager nodded as Naruto yelled, "Hey, what about me?"

"You seem to have your hands full. Or are you saying you'd rather be patrolling than showing off your fuinjutsu?"

The blonde couldn't argue with that, so instead he made a little pout before getting back to work.

"Have fun Hinata-chan! I guess you to Sasuke-teme."

The old man chuckled as the group in front of him turned and set off into the woods around the compound. He turned back around and said, "You really don't like to get along with him do you?"

The blonde shot up from his work, "Never! He's nothing but a major prick, who everyone loves to fawn over. _Oh look at me. I'm all dark and brooding. I'm so mature and impressive,"_ the blonde taunted before letting out his own "mature" rasberry.

The old man nodded as he sat next to him at the table. "With good cause. As a civilian who stays out of the affairs of shinobi, even I know how impressive the Uchiha clan was."

"If they were really so great, why aren't they still around?" The blonde stopped and felt a little ashamed as he realized how rude that had sounded.

The manager looked amazed. Even he knew what happened.

"You really don't know?" he asked shocked.

The blonde shook his head. "All I know is that they were taken down by one guy. No one in the village liked to talk about it. At school, Iruka-sensei didn't want us to bother Sasuke about it."

Not that the blonde didn't want to talk to him about it. Even though he and Sasuke had never been on the best terms, he had felt his heart stop when he had heard Sasuke had lost his family. He had been just like him. Alone.

While he wanted to reach out, their prides would never let them do it. Instead, they formed an unspoken connection that neither would admit existed, even today.

The old manager shook his head. "That isn't a story for me to tell. That story is better coming from your sensei or Sasuke-san himself."

He paused, as the blonde boy seemed to contemplate things.

"Now, now. Let's move on from such depressing matters. I do believe you were telling me something about these "insurance seals" as you call them."

The blonde boy appreciated the gesture and began rattling off his ideas about seals. At the same time, his mind still lingered on the same question.

How much did he really know about Sasuke?

* * *

Shortly after Kakashi and the others had left, he stopped and turned to face them.

"Is there something wrong sensei?" Hinata asked.

"Yes, I didn't want to alarm Kenta-san, but we do have a potential problem."

Sasuke back straightened as he gave Kakashi his undivided attention.

"Yesterday, as we were walking towards the complex, I thought I saw something in the woods. It wasn't until last night, when I went back to check that I confirmed that there was someone there."

'So that's what he was doing last night,' Sasuke thought.

"Someone tried very hard to cover their trail, which leads me to assume that we may be facing some trouble in the next day or two."

"Why didn't you inform the dobe of this?" Sasuke asked, surprising Hinata, who had been thinking the same thing.

"He has his hands full as it is. Besides, he needs his full concentration on focusing on those seals. There can be some nasty effects if he makes a mistake. So, Hinata, I'm going to require the aid from your byakugan as we search through the woods."

Sasuke seemed a little agitated and asked, "Then why not leave me with the dobe? What if the assailant decides to go after him?"

"Is that concern for your other teammate? I'm so glad my lessons are starting to take root," Kakashi joked with an eye smile. Earning a glare from the brunette, he continued, "Naruto can just flash away if anything serious happens. Besides, I thought you said you wanted a little action?"

While this answer seemed to appease him, it wasn't exactly the whole truth. To be honest, it would be trouble enough for any jounin to have to watch one heir, but Kakashi had to watch two. Adding the son of his late sensei into the mix, Kakashi was responsible for three of the most important figures of their age group in Konoha.

By keeping them both close to him, he could have Hinata help with his search and the two would be able to support each other if anything went wrong. It was a win-win.

"You still won't answer me about that technique," Sasuke said, cutting him out of his train of thought.

"And you still won't ask him yourself," Kakashi replied, "Like I've told you, it's a technique he has been working on for a long time, and I'm sure he'd be delighted to talk about it with someone. Although, I will admit he'd likely brag about it for a while before you could actually get anything useful from him." He finished with a sweat drop before his serious composure returned to his face.

"If there aren't any other questions, then let's move out."

* * *

Yoshio had been amazed as he watched the Konoha genin get to work. This was just ridiculous. No genin, or even jounin for that matter, should have enough chakra to pump out that many clones.

Iwa's mole was leaning against the shed with the other workers as they watched the boy put them to shame.

He had been watching the team since they arrived and he too had been shocked to see the arrival of Kakashi Hatake. This was going to present a problem. He had noticed the man looking suspicious when he arrived at the complex, and Yoshio had seen him dart out of the gate during the night. He had sent a message to Daiki immediately, asking if he had been uncovered.

He was instantly on guard when he received the message. While they hadn't been discovered, Hatake knew something was wrong. They were now making a plan to lure the man's attention away from the development.

As he stared at the Konoha jounin in question, he wracked his brain for something that would help his protection unit. As he gazed at the boy, who was becoming unsettlingly familiar to him, he spied the metal case full of the boy's scrolls. He suppressed a grin as he watched Kakashi and his other genin head into the woods. He called to his so-call colleagues and headed off towards the outhouses.

When he was sure he was out of sight, he bit his finger and slammed his hand to the ground. A cloud of smoke appeared before revealing a small gopher sitting on its hind legs.

"What up boss? Another message for Daiki?"

He nodded and relayed his message.

* * *

The Iwa unit sat in their cave hidden a few feet underground. It was easy enough for any Iwa nin to perform. Two doton jutsu to clear out the space and make holes for air, and bam, you had yourself a small base hidden away from the eyes of the enemy.

As they sat their Daiki's eyes shot open when he heard scratching against the walls and one of Yoshio's gopher summons poked its head through the wall.

It was startled when metal spike landed next to its head and it wailed, "It's me you idiots! Hold your fire!"

Kyou held Takara's arm to ensure that the brown haired chunin would shoot any thing else at the poor creature.

Daiki crouched before the gopher and asked, "What news does Yoshio have?"

"You're going to have to push up your time table," it said as it brushed off its tiny maroon shirt. "That kid from Konoha is really something else. Apparently they are going to be done by later tonight with the pace he is setting."

"That's impossible. What is the Uchiha doing that could make the process of loading the carriages go by that quickly?"

"It's not the Uchiha kid, it's some blonde kid doing some quirky things with seals."

Takara's head shot up and his eyes narrowed at this comment.

"He's using kage bunshin to speed up the process, as well as putting all the lumber into storage seals."

Daiki was impressed. For a mere genin to have enough chakra to summon that many kage bunshin was astounding. What also surprised him was that apparently the boy was knowledgably in fuinjutsu. No wonder the kid was paired up with such important teammates.

As he continued his conversation with the summons, Takara and Kyou were having there own conversation.

"Don't you think about it," Kyou whispered.

"Think about what?" Takara glared.

"Drop the bullshit, Takara. We've known each other for a long time, and I know that look. Just because the kid has blonde hair and knows fuinjutsu does not mean he's related to him. You've got to let this search thing go."

"I will not!" he angrily whispered back, "You know what the Yellow Flash did to my family! He somehow saw through our techniques and spread the information along to his allies. If it wasn't for him…"

"It was war," Kyou interjected. "You can't stay mad at an enemy for defending his homeland. Don't forget, we were the ones that started the last war."

"Are you saying all those deaths are our fault?" Takara glared as he rounded on him.

"You know I'm not. Stop making excuses for a fight. Now promise me you won't just take this opportunity as an excuse to vent and jeopardize the mission to attack this kid."

Takara glared but didn't say anything.

A puff of smoke caught their attention as Daiki turned back to them. "Alright, change of plans. Listen up."

"This is going to make our old plan much more believable. In case you didn't know, this lumberyard is part of a major business chain for the Land of Fire that is lead by the Daiymo himself. They supply lumber and paper all across the elemental nations. So, Kyou, you were going to stage an incident to make it look like we were stealing records of the company. You're still going to do this, but there is a small metal box, which contains all of the sealed up lumber for the order that you're going to have to find. You're going to make sure you are caught stealing it."

Kyou nodded as the jounin went on, "The rest of the plan remains the same. Takara, you will wait at the specified point and cover Kyou if things go south. He shouldn't have a problem with a genin or two, but it never hurts to be prepared. In the mean time, I will distract their jounin and lead him away from you. At some point, make it seem like they have recovered the box and head to the extraction point. I'll meet up with you there and we will proceed to head out of Fire country."

This would draw the attention away from the possibility of a spy and give Konoha a different problem to address. It would seem as if they were hired to steal records for a rival company instead of their actual objective.

"Our mission is a go tonight."

* * *

Sasuke had been a little disappointed when their search resulted in nothing. Even with the aid of Hinata's byakugan, they were unable to turn up anything.

After 8 o'clock, they headed back to the complex in defeat. As they neared the lumberyard, they heard loud chanting which only increased in volume the closer they got. When they finally, they saw the horde of Naruto's clones huddled around their work area and they weren't; alone. They injured workers and other employees who had been out in the woods cutting down new trees all day were shouting encouragement to the final group. The copies of Naruto seemed exhausted as they carried the final block onto the pile.

The original beamed as he shook the hands of his clones. They let out a weary sigh as the meandered off and sat off on the sideline with the rest.

Naruto brought out the last scroll and sealed the pile away and dropped it in the box. "YATTA! We did it!" he shouted to be met with a roar of applause from the workers.

"Great job you guys! Couldn't do it without you," he beamed at his army of clones.

They all broke out in their trademark smile, as Sasuke cut in, "Talking to yourself now dobe? I'd be a little concerned."

A chorus of "shut the hell up" was his response as they all whipped their heads around to stare at him. It was a little unnerving.

Naruto started to form the release hand sign when a thought crept into Kakashi's head.

"Wait, a minute Naruto-"

"Release!" the blonde shouted.

The clones disappeared in a giant puff of smoke. When the dust finally cleared, the blonde boy was lying on his back unconscious.

'I was afraid of that,' Kakashi thought as the workers and Hinata rushed up to him.

"What just happened?" Sasuke asked.

"That, Sasuke, is one of the reasons why I forbade Naruto from teaching you that jutsu. You see, kage bunshin are very useful due to all of their experiences and memories being sent back to the user. As you can see, this includes all of their physical exhaustion as well. His mind was just bombarded by the exhaustion from all of these clones. He should have released them in groups instead of all at once. Remind me to warn him to never do that again."

"Is he going to be alright?" Kenta asked.

"He'll be fine. He recovers faster than anyone I've ever seen. Although he is going to be exhausted for the next day or two."

"That's such a shame, and to think, I just had the chefs whip up a special meal for him. When he wasn't talking about seals, all he would talk about was ramen."

"RAMEN!" The boy sprang up, surprising everyone as he stared at the manager. "You really did that for m- OH, oh. I don't feel so good."

He collapsed on his hands and knees as Hinata tried to help him up.

Kakashi shook his head. The boy really had a one-track mind.

"Are you okay Naruto?" he asked.

He panted heavily as he tried to give the man a smile. "You know me Kakashi-sensei. I can bounce back from anything. Give me a soldier pill, and I'll be just fine.

"No. No need for that, all that will do is make it harder for you to fall asleep later. After you've eaten, I want you to hit the hay immediately. Is that understood?"

"You won't get any complaints from me sensei. Lets go Hinata-chan!" he wearily exclaimed as she helped him make his way to the cafeteria. The workers chuckled as they started heading out to their own temporary accommodations.

Kakashi eyed his remaining student. "Not joining them?"

"I'll pass. I'd rather spend my time looking into our little problem."

Kakashi nodded. He was just as frustrated as his students when their results turned up nothing. At least it had been an instructional day for the two of them; he had gone over several of his own tracking techniques as they searched through the forest.

"Alright, do some rounds around the facility and ask some of the workers if they have seen anything strange lately."

"What about you?"

"I'm going to be doing the same thing, but much more discreetly. Meet me back here in an hour and we'll compare notes."

With that, he disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Sasuke put his hands in his pockets and headed off towards the worker's new accommodations.

From the tree line, a pair of eyes stared down as these events played out.

One down, three to go.

* * *

It was a little disturbing to see Naruto eat that slowly. Usually, the blonde gulped down his meals without a second thought as fast as he could.

Now, the boy was taking his time as he fought to stay awake. He was never someone to turn down free ramen, especially when it was a reward for all of his hard work. Hinata sat with him offering words of encouragement as he fought against the sweet lull of slumber. The chefs were laughing the entire time, especially when the blonde nearly face planted into the bowl.

After an hour of pure willpower, the blonde finally finished his meal and thanked the chefs. With some help from Hinata, the pair made their way back towards their campsite.

"Thank you, Hinata," the blonde panted as they passed by the administrative building, "For helping me get through all that. I promise to make it up to you."

"Y-you don't have to do anything Naruto-kun. I-I'm always happy to help."

"Come on, Hinata-chan You're too sweet all the time. You're going to start making me feel bad. There has to be something I can help you with. After everything you've done from me over the past few weeks, it's the least I can do."

Hinata was about to refute him, when something popped into her mind. She had been looking for help on a certain subject. Maybe it was time to share it with her team.

"Actually-"

She was cut when she head a loud voice shout, "What do you think you're doing in my office?"

The glass window on the floor above them shattered, raining glass on the duo below as a figure darted out and raced towards the main gate.

"After him!" Kenta pleaded as he poked his head out of the broken window, "That man just took of with the box full of the sealed lumber!"

Hinata's eyes whipped towards the man who held a bunch of paper in one hand and the black box in the other. While she didn't see the headband, there was no mistaking that red and brown uniform.

Iwa.

She desperately looked between the faint boy in her arms and the retreating form of the man. She couldn't just leave him. What if there were other Iwa shinobi in the area?

"Go on Hinata-chan! Go kick his ass," the blonde encouraged.

"I'll watch after the boy. Go after that hooligan and show him what happens when you mess with the Land of Fire."

She smiled and set blonde down as gently as she could before racing after the figure.

She had found their illusive intruder.

* * *

She wasn't the only one.

At the same time, Kakashi had been amiably speaking with one of the workers when something caught his eye behind the man's head. A tall, dark figure dashed into the woods with a limp object on his back. Kakashi felt his heart rate pick up when he saw what was on the back of the limp object's shirt: a red and white fan symbol.

Pushing past the man mid-sentence, the jounin raced after the disappearing silhouette as it disappeared deeper into the forest.

He had already failed one Uchiha in his lifetime; he was not going to fail another.

* * *

Hinata and her target dashed between the trees as they raced further and further away from the complex.

She reached into her pouch and flung a kunai at the intruder, who ducked his head at the last second.

A second later the kunai exploded, sending the perpetrator flying back towards her. Veins bulged around her eyes, as she prepared to intercept the enemy shinobi mid-air. She reached out for a strike, only for target to twist mid air and kick off her back onto another tree branch. She grabbed a tree branch as she fell and spun back around to face her opponent.

He was a young man in his early twenties with a calm disposition on his face. With her byakugan, she noted the singed paper and black box he had been carrying on the forest floor behind. She dropped down from the tree and took up a defensive stance in front of the objects.

"What are you doing in Fire Country?" she asked.

The man failed to comment as he dropped to the ground, weaving hand signs.

"Doton: Core Entrapment!" he shouted as he slammed his hands to the ground.

With her byakugan, Hinata could see his chakra racing and melding into the ground almost in slow motion. She leaped into the air as the earth contorted into spikes which tried to impale her.

Twisting mid-air, she noticed the man racing through more hand signs.

"Katon: Ember Barrage!" he shouted as a multiple fireballs sprang from his fingertips. She stared helplessly as the fire raced towards her. The fire engulfed its target and it fell to the floor below in a smoldering heap.

'Damn,' Kyou thought as he landed and stared at the heap of fire, 'I had expected more from the Hyuuga girl.'

He stared at the burning object and recognized it as a block of wood just in time to dodge the chakra infused strike coming from behind. The two danced across the trees as he desperately tried to avoid being touched by her hands. Although he was a chunin, the girl had caught him off guard. He tried to regain his bearings and start pressing back against the girl, but she wouldn't give him the chance.

She was lashing out with her palms in sharp, controlled movements, and it was all he could do simply block the strikes. He continued to backpedal until his back hit the base of a tree and the girl was quickly upon him. Having no choice, he reached out and caught her hands with his own.

He felt the sharp pain creep into his hands as he held her at arms length. The two struggled for dominance. Kyou did have age and size on the girl, but it was hard to push back as she kept pumping her chakra into his hands. It was all he could do to hold her at bay, due to the agonizing pain.

With his superior speed he kicked her in the stomach and disengaged her. He massaged his hands, which felt as if they were cramping up on him.

The girl caught her breath and returned her glare to the Iwa chunin.

"You can no longer mold jutsu in your hands. Please consider surrendering."

He chuckled. At least the girl had some modest manners.

"No can do, Lady Hyuuga. It would be rather shameful for a chunin just to surrender because of that."

While not normally terrifying, the veins around her eyes certainly added to her intimidation factor. "You cannot best a Hyuuga in hand-to-hand combat," she droned just as her father had drilled into her head for years. "I do not wish to cause you more harm than necessary."

Well, would you look at that? A Hyuuga with a heart.

This actually was a good opportunity for him. It gave him a good excuse to hightail it out of here. His mission was a success. The manager and her teammate had both seen him ransacking the office and now she could easily reclaim the goods.

He opened his mouth to reply, when his eyes widened by the sight behind her.

She noticed his expression and was surprised when something appeared just out of the blind spot of her byakugan. She twisted out of the way as a sharp pain lit up across her left arm.

She fell to the ground as another figure appeared before her.

"You aren't going anywhere Konoha scum!"

"Takara, what the hell are you doing?" He had been given the perfect opportunity to tap out and head to the extraction point. What was Takara thinking?

"Screw the mission! I need answers! You! Hyuuga!" he yelled as he pointed a slender finger at her.

Hinata ripper her sleeve off as she tried to bandage the light cut that raced down her arm. She was shocked when she looked at her attacker and found a slender needle-like metal appendage pointing right at her.

What in the world was he?

"Tell me everything you know about your blonde bastard of a teammate!"

What on earth did Naruto have to do with this?

His other arm shifted and she was horrified to see his hand take on a metallic sheen before morphing into a massive ball.

"You're going to tell me or I'm going to make it excruciating for you."

Spikes sprung from the sphere as if to accent his point.

"So start talking!"

The young girl pushed herself up and ignored the lash on her arm as she stared at the slender man standing before her.

Hinata was not typically a brave person. She was honestly a very meek person, who shied away from conflict. She was also starting to feel inadequate being on the same team as Sasuke and Naruto. Each of them was a prodigy in their own right, while she felt like the third wheel on the path forward.

But at this moment, neither of them was here. It was just her against a crazed metallic maniac who wanted to harm the one's she loved.

 _"_ _Go on Hinata-chan! Go kick his ass!_ "

The look he had given her was one of absolute confidence. He was certain she could do this, and she would not let him down. It wasn't just him. The Hokage believed in her enough to place her on the same team as legends. It was time she started earning that position.

Steeling her resolve, she settled into her jyuuken stance and stared the crazed man right in his eyes.

"I dare you to try and make me."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Oh yes, a cliffhanger. I hate them, you hate them, we all hate them; unless you are the one writing it. Things are really heating up as the shit is hitting the fan. Naruto is exhausted and Kakashi is off dealing with the Iwa jounin, leaving Hinata to deal with the Iwa threat all on her own. Can she make it all by herself? Dun-dun-dun.**

 **By the way, shout out to that review in French from Chapter 9. Hynamy, thanks for your review. It was really awesome having to put more effort into finding out what you thought. Merci beaucoup :)**

 **Revision (10/4/16):**

 **After the response from reviews, it has been decided that jutsu shall be in English.**


	12. Chapter 12- Trial by Fire (Part 2)

**Author's Preface: After a positive response in the reviews, it has been decided that all jutsu (aside from the iconic ones, such as Kage Bunshin, Hiraishin, Raikiri, etc) shall be in English. Thank you guys for your input. This makes things so much easier from this point out. I'll go back on a later date and work on the jutsu up until now, but, until then, here is the next chapter. Hope you guys enjoy it.**

Chapter 12 – Trial by Fire (Part 2)

Perhaps taunting the emotionally unstable enemy ninja hadn't been her best idea.

Hinata weaved as she backpedalled away from the barrage of metal talons that whipped through the air, inches from her face. She ducked to the side of the branch and pumped chakra into her feet, which jettisoned her away as the crazed nin slammed his mace through the space she had just occupied, sending wooden splinters flying.

'I'm getting nowhere like this.'

She twisted midair and pulled out a kunai to deflect the barrage of metal spikes speeding towards her. She landed on a branch and quickly ducked behind the truck as a new barrage peppered the branch.

She tried to catch her breath as she leaned against the tree. Her byakugan could see the outline of his chakra clearly through the bark. She needed a plan. She n-

Her eyes widened and she ducked down as metallic claws sliced through the trunk of the tree right where her head had been.

She twisted under the branch again and launched herself towards the ground.

She needed time to think.

As she fell, she pulled put a handful of shuriken and flung them at the crazed enemy. His mace arm contorted into a rectangular shield as he deflected the incoming projectiles.

She panted and fell to one knee as she landed on the ground. All of this evading was going to tire her out, plus he was faster than her. Sooner or later he was going to catch up with her.

There was also the other problem.

With the almost 360 ° field of vision granted by the byakugan, she could see the other Iwa nin behind her in the trees.

The longer she took fighting this man, the harder it would be to take down his teammate.

She was shook out of her thoughts as the other man screamed at her. "I asked you before, so start talking before I have to take a limb. Tell me about the blonde brat!"

Silence and a angry glare was his only response.

"Fine," he said as his arm shifted from a large mace into an axe head, "Dismemberment it is."

She ignored him; instead, she was focusing on his chakra network as his arm changed shape. The tenketsu in his arm were working overtime. He must have to keep pumping chakra through his arms to maintain that shape.

He was also in a war of attrition. Although his reserves were larger, they were depleting much faster than hers.

Even so, this would still not be enough for her to outlast him. No doubt he would recognize if he needed to conserve chakra and his teammate would certainly jump in if it got too hectic for him.

There was something else that was on her mind. If his body was covered in metal, what was the shield for? Was there a limit or a weak spot in his armor?

Time to make some tests.

At this time the chunin was nearly upon her, deciding to jump down straight at her than running down the tree. As he drew closer, she reached into her bag and threw down 2 smoke grenades.

Takara coughed and whipped around as the clouds of purple smoke consumed him.

He squeezed his eyes as his vision was completely blurred, all the while, a pair of white eyes gazed at him through the smoke.

She circled the man and started a barrage a shuriken as she ran.

A stray shuriken bounced off of his head and chest with a clang. He growled and yelled, "Stop it you irritating bitch!" before raised his shield to block the rain of sharp metal.

There it was. If it had no effect, why did he need the shield?

She noted the shape of the shield. The top of it stopped just below his neck and it reached down to the ground. Was the weak spot lower?

Then she saw it.

She hadn't noticed it earlier as he tried to eviscerate her, but now it stuck out like a sore thumb. The tenketsu in his arms and chest were well above average size; however, the tenketsu in his legs were disproportionately small. They were about the size you would find in a toddler.

As it turned out, Takara hailed from the Zaofu clan. They had been blessed with the particular ability to restructure the composition of their body into steel. With this useful kekkai genkai, their bodies were all the weapons they ever needed. They could configure their body into any shape as long as they had the chakra reserves to maintain it. They had been one of Iwa's most respected clans, until the Yondaime Hokage discovered two fatal flaws in their clan's jutsu and spread these weaknesses throughout the Land of Fire.

One of these flaws was that while the tenketsu in their upper body grew at an abnormal rate, the ones in their lower body left much to be desired. As a result, they had difficulty transferring the effects of their jutsu towards their legs, especially where around the ankle. They were the living embodiment of an Achilles' heel.

Hinata's eyes gleamed as she gripped her kunai.

* * *

Kakashi raced after the unknown assailant. He was not about to let the Uchiha clan's last hope get away. He finally got within range of the man and shunshined ahead of his path. He intercepted the unknown assailant midair and drove a kunai straight through his eye and out the back of his skull.

The man crumpled into the knife and Kakashi's eye widened as he recognized the hitai-ate. Iwa.

What could they possibly be doing this deep in Fire Country?

Before he could remove his knife, the man's face sagged before turning into a giant pile of mud.

"Mud clone," he muttered.

Kakashi was instantly alert. He reached to pick up the limp boy, but realized something wasn't right. He was too heavy. After he noticed the buzzing feeling in the back of his head, he recognized there was a genjutsu.

"Release."

Instantly the henge lifted, revealing a dead worker from the lumberyard.

Kakashi could only stare at the body in shock, and then it hit him.

He had been tricked.

The Iwa jounin played him. He had set a simple trap and successfully lured him away from the others.

Kakashi unceremoniously dropped the dead body, and started speeding back towards the complex, doubling the amount of chakra in his legs. No doubt the others were in the thick of things. There was no way they were prepared for a jounin. He could only hope that Naruto understood the severity of his weakened state and decided to stay out of the action for once.

For if they recognized him…

He shuddered as he darted back towards his students.

* * *

Takara was irritated. He began firing spikes randomly from his hand into the smoke. He needed to get out of this. As he started to move, he heard a noise to his right as a barrage of shuriken and kunai flew towards him.

He raised his arm and blocked most of the assault. It wasn't until he heard a hiss at his feet that he started to get worried. He morphed his arms into flat boards and slammed them in front of him as the explosions started going off.

He struggled against the concussive force of the exploding tags when he sensed something behind him. He was only fast enough to see the Hyuuga girl appear out of the smoke with kunai in hand.

She quickly stabbed one into his heel and another into his thigh, right through his tenketsu.

He roared in pain and he whipped the shield around, trying to knock the girl back, but she managed to back flip out of the way

She landed on the ground and quickly sprinted towards him.

His arm began to contort, but she brushed it out of the way with her glowing palms as she got inside of his guard.

Their eyes locked and in that moment, the man realized how much danger he was actually in. In the split-second before her attack, he formed a small amount of chakra in his chest. He hoped it would be enough.

"8 Trigrams 64 Palm Guard!"

While it had 'Guard' in the title, the offensive capabilities of this attack were staggering. Concentrated blades of chakra raced across his body in parabolas as he was literally cut to pieces. His metal body was sturdy, but this was finesse at it finest, carving its way through his armor and out his back.

Simply put, the jutsu sliced through him like paper.

As the blue net of chakra disappeared, Hinata backed away and panted. That had eaten up over a third of her chakra.

This was first jutsu she had ever created and she was very proud of it. She had thought of the idea after going through some of her mother's notes. Her mother had her developed her own technique that involved forming chakra into a sharp blade, but the chakra control needed for it was currently out of Hinata's league. Instead, she had chosen to take the basic principal and try to use it to duplicate a technique she did not have mastered yet, the Kaiten. The result was a technique that could be spread out all around her for defense, or focused in front of her for offense.

As she gazed upon her work, she felt as though she was going to be sick. It was like a mannequin had been attacked like a samurai. What was left of the man knelt on his knees and his body was splayed apart. Thankfully the inside of his body visible from the cuts did not show any blood or organs. Instead, it looked as if someone had made smooth clean cut through a block of metal.

With a sigh of relief, she started to turn towards the man's comrade when the bundle of metal and flesh shuttered. Here eyes were as wide as saucers as her head whipped back to the body as the open cuts began melding back together.

Just how durable was he?

She reached into her bag for an explosive tag to finish it when a barrage of kunai flew at her from the trees.

She jumped back as Kyou landed between her and his teammate. She scowled as she noted the red chakra burns on his hands. He had been trying to force his tenketsu open, but apparently to little avail. He sighed as he reached into his pouch and pulled out a large red pill. He stuck it in his mouth and bit down.

Hinata was shocked as his chakra system raged violently. It hadn't been a soldier pill, but it seemed to be having a similar effect. She was even more surprised as the pressure in his hands finally burst and his tenketsu were forced open.

Forcing his tenketsu open that forcefully was sure to leave major lacerations to his chakra network. Unless he was treated immediately, he was going to suffer from severe trauma to his hands for years. While this thought also raced through his mind, he ignored the pain for he had accomplished his goal. He could mold chakra again.

He grit his teeth through the agonizing pain as he began forming hand signs.

She quickly flung her kunai as he slammed his hands into the ground.

"Doton: Earth Style Wall!"

Rock and dirt erupted from the ground, blocking the kunai, and sheltered the Iwa shinobi from the ensuing explosion.

After it died down, Kyou jumped onto the wall and looked down at the Hinata.

Although his eyes were full of great pain, they also held an apologetic look.

"While I don't agree with his behavior towards you, I cannot sit idly by and allow you to kill my friend."

She ignored him as she stared through the wall at the figure behind it. His chakra was greatly diminished, but the man was getting back up.

She took a step back as a metallic claw gripped the side of the rock wall. As he looked around the wall, his face was full of rage as he stared at the tiny girl in front of him.

"You are going to regret that," he said way too calmly.

She was so focused on him that she did not notice the other man speeding through hand signs.

"Doton: Stone Binding!"

His words broke Hinata out of her trance, but she was too slow to react when the earth beneath her shot up and clamped down on her legs.

"Hold her still Kyou," Takara growled.

His raised his arm and it shot forward towards the girl too quick for her to see.

She raised her hands to somehow block the attack, when a windmill shuriken cleanly cut through the arm.

Takara screamed in pain as two shadows landed in front of her.

"I thought you were the one who stressed how important Kakashi's teamwork lessons were? You shouldn't have gone off by yourself Hinata."

"Be nice teme. You're just jealous you weren't the one to get to fight by yourself. You did amazing Hinata-chan! You tore that guy apart!"

She let out a sigh of relief at the sight of the two boys in front of her.

Sasuke stared down the two Iwa chunin as Naruto began helping the girl out of the constraints around her legs.

"Sasuke and I arrived just in time to see you slice up that bastard. That was awesome!"

She nodded her head as he helped her to her feet. As she studied his face, she was shocked by how tired he seemed. He had to be at the tipping point. He was facing so much fatigue that he was only standing up through sheer willpower.

"Hinata, you did a good job. Let me take care of the metal freak, while you and the dobe take care of the other chunin."

She started to protest, but he shot her a look. "I am completely fresh and have full reserves of chakra. You on the other hand do not. Make sure the idiot doesn't trip over his own feet, and take out that other nin."

She couldn't argue with his logic and stood on her feet.

"His weakness is in his legs. His shape shifting ability has extreme difficulty covering them."

He nodded as all three of them stared at their opponents.

Takara's mind went blank by the sudden arrival of the two boys. He had only assumed when he had overheard Daiki's speech earlier, but a part of him didn't really believe it. But now as he stood across from the boy, there was no doubt about.

That hair color. That shape. His apparent skill in fuinjutsu. It all added up.

"You…"

He hung his head and started to shake as everyone turned their attention to him.

His face shot up as he glared at Naruto. "You bastard!"

The man sprung forward batting the other two aside, as he lunged for the boy. It took everything he had to duck below the blow and he began racing away from the crazed nin.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Sasuke raced after the two as they worked their way further into the woods.

Kyou began to move after them, but he was blocked by the kunoichi.

"Your battle is with me, Kyou-san."

He frowned as he began forming handsigns.

* * *

(Earlier)

Sasuke had been standing at Kakashi's designated point for over twenty minutes. He didn't know what could possibly be holding the man, but the whole atmosphere of the night was getting on his nerves. He left central area and started his way back towards the campsite.

As he passed by the administration building, he was surprised to find Kenta hovering over Naruto a couple feet away from a pile of glass.

He ran up to them as he assessed the scene.

"What happened here?"

The old man was distraught. "I caught some ruffian rifling through our business records. To make matters worse, he dashed off with the entire shipment that Naruto-boy sealed up today. Little Hinata-chan raced after him fifteen minutes ago."

"What?" he asked incredulously before turning his attention to the blonde, "You let her go off on her own!"

"I can't go anywhere Sasuke. She was the only one around, and the guy was getting away. Besides she can take care of herself."

Sasuke didn't doubt his teammates abilities, but one should never run off without knowing the enemy's strength and numbers. For all they knew, she could have been lured into a trap.

"Why haven't you taken a soldier pill and gone after her?"

"I would have already if I had any. Kakashi-sensei made sure Hinata-chan took them all away from me in case I tried to eat one to stay awake."

Sasuke shook his head and reached into his bad before handing the small pill to his blonde teammate.

The blonde appreciated the gesture and gladly swallowed the horribly tasting pill.

Energy surged through his system as he stood up. He was by no means at one hundred percent, but at least he could move without others helping him.

"Lead the way."

With that, the two boys left Kenta in the dust as they raced after their teammate. He could only pray that she didn't need them, but if she did, he hoped they made it in time.

* * *

Naruto cursed as another cut grazed his chest as he backpedalled away from the crazy shinobi. If he had been freshly rested, the boy would have easily out sped the Iwa chunin, but as it was, he was barely even staying alive.

He jumped back again as the man raced towards him with renewed vigor. He took five steps before Sasuke Uchiha planted his feet in the man's face, planted a piece of paper, and kicked off before a tiny explosion sent the man flying back.

Naruto panted as he had a chance to regain his strength.

"Nice job teme. So what's the plan?"

Sasuke shot him a surprised and smug look. "Are you actually letting me lead voluntarily?"

"It may be the exhaustion talking, but I'll admit that you're a bit smarter than I am. Right now, I'm so exhausted I can barely think straight. So use that supposed prodigal brain of yours to think of a way to stop this homicidal bastard."

Sasuke suppressed a grin as he stared at the Iwa shinobi, who was starting to get back up. His mind raced with possibilities. From what Hinata said, he could only assume that shuriken and kunai would not work on this guy. Even in his current state, he was going to be more wary of his legs after what Hinata did to him.

He also had to worry about the dobe. He didn't know why the Iwa nin hated him so much but he had his eyes set on tearing him apart. It was going to be difficult finding a way an opportunity to get at his legs, while protecting the blonde.

As the man's face shift from a metallic sheen back to his normal skin color, a thought raced through his mind.

"Naruto, do you still have any of those storage seals you made from earlier?"

"Yeah, I guess. Why?"

"How long would it take for you to alter the design of the seal?"

Naruto's face lit up, as he understood. "Oh, I got it. Normally a minute or two, but in my current state, I'd need about five minutes. Keep him off me, while I make the preparations. Take this."

Sasuke nodded and stuck the piece of paper handed to him in his pouch as the Iwa nin started racing towards them.

If the dobe needed five minutes, he was going to get it.

* * *

Hinata twisted as she dodged another spike from the ground as she raced towards her opponent. With every jutsu he cast, his hands were becoming more and more damaged from chakra burns.

He growled as another flash of pain burst through his system and he flashed through more seals.

"Katon: Flame Salvo!"

He lifted his head as multiple fireballs shot into the air and raced towards the girl.

She twisted and dodged her way around them as she raced toward the wall.

The man back flipped off the wall forming more seals before he shouted, "Doton: Mobile Core!" He stretched his hands out as the wall of rock shot forward at alarming speeds.

Hinat stuck to her path as the rock flew towards and slid underneath it at the last second. Keeping her stride, she raced towards the man as she pulled out a kunai.

'Even though she's not as cold as the Hyuuga I've heard about, she's just as lethal,' Kyou thought as he pulled out his own kunai and raced towards her.

* * *

Sasuke was in a clash himself as sparks flew past his face. He held two kunai within his grasp as he and the metal man traded blows.

If he had been in his normal mental state, the man probably could have overpowered the boy, but he was in a state of rage and was flailing wildly. He was also still injured from his previous bout with the Hyuuga. His ankle was still throbbing as he worked his way past the pain.

As they clashed once again, he used his superior strength to fling the Uchiha back. The boy flipped in their air before landing gracefully on his feet.

"Stop getting in my way Uchiha! You can't stop me from getting the Yondaime brat!"

Sasuke shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about, but I can't let you murder my teammate. Even if it would save me some headaches in the future."

The man growled as his eyes scanned the canopy. The boy couldn't have gone too far. It had only been a matter of minutes. Although he wasn't a sensor, he could still feel the boy's chakra in the area. The boy's reserves were so potent that it was like sending a flare in the air. Even those with basic sensors training could pick him up.

As his eyes combed the area, he noticed the Uchiha eye a certain tree off to the side. Whipping his head in that direction, he finally saw the brat sitting on a tree working on a scroll.

Sasuke cursed as Takara lunged at the blonde.

"NO! No fuinjutsu out of you!"

Naruto was startled and jumped away from the branch as the man landed, kicking up a cloud of splinters. The boy hastily began forming the finishing touches as he dashed away from the man.

Sasuke was in quick pursuit and he noticed they were heading back towards Hinata. If the two Iwa nins were able to regroup it would be harder for them to execute their plan.

'Hurry up you dumbass!' he thought.

* * *

Hinata and Kyou were furiously exchanging blows when the blonde boy and his pursuers burst into view.

"Got it! I got it! It's ready! Did you plant it Sasuke?"

"It's done! Hurry up and do it!"

Naruto formed his hands in a seal and yelled "Activate!"

Instantly, Takara felt as if he weighed a hundred tons as he slammed into the ground leaving a wide crater.

When the hell had they planted a seal on him? He froze as he remembered his exchange with the Uchiha. He must have planted it then. But when could he have done it?

"What the hell have you done to me?"

Ignoring him, the two boys landed next to the crater and began vigorously going through hand signs. As they both landed on the tora sign, they took in a deep breath of air before yelling to the sky.

"Katon: Fireball Jutsu!"

"Katon: Fox Hellfire!"

The two boys let loose on the Iwa nin as he was enveloped in a raging inferno. The roar of the flames overshadowed his screams of agony.

His flesh would have been seared away by the immense heat, but he quickly covered his entire body to metal. As the flame raged on, he began melting into a silver puddle. Even as he was melted down into a liquid form, his consciousness was still aware of what was going on.

Oh, he was going to slaughter them after he reformed! He was going to get his hands on every last Konoha shinobi! Yuuto-sama would make sure that their stupid village was burned to the ground. His thoughts of rage quickly changed to fear as the blonde cut off his jutsu and spread open the scroll. He faced the open page towards the crater and yelled, "Seal!"

Immediately, the liquid sprung up towards the seal and the man screamed as he was forcibly sucked inside. After ten seconds of blistering heat raking boy's fingers, the liquid in the crater was gone and a kanji symbol for steel suddenly appeared on the page. Sealing a human being away may have been too complicated due to all of the elements that made up the human body, but he sure as hell could seal away a simple alloy.

This distraction was all Hinata needed as she snuck her way into the man's guard.

"You are within range of my divination," she said calmly.

The man's eyes shot open as her fingers danced across his body, forcefully closing his tenketsu.

"Eight Trigrams 32 Palms!" she shouted as she delivered the final blow. The man slumped over onto his face as the girl fell to her knees.

She panted and grinned at the boys standing above the steaming crater. They had done it. They had actually done it.

Kyou was distraught. The plan was a bust. While they certainly would draw attention from their mole, they were now at risk of jeopardizing the mission. If they were captured and brought before a Yamanaka, it would all be for nothing.

Fighting back tears and working through the blinding pain, he reached into his pocket and grasped a handful of explosive tags.

"I'm sorry, Hyuuga-san," coughed as he glanced towards her. Her eyes widened as a roar of flamed engulfed the two of them.

* * *

Naruto had about 1.84 seconds to respond.

The moment he saw Hinata's opponent reach into his bag, he was sprinting towards them. He pushed past his exhaustion as he forced his legs to go beyond their limits. He would save her.

He had to save her.

His muscles strained as he forced them to move, and he scooped up the girl right as the explosion went off.

* * *

Sasuke could only watch in horror as the ball of flame engulfed his teammates.

Not again. He couldn't be left alone again.

In a heartbeat, the blonde appeared in front of him in a flash of yellow light. Sasuke stumbled back in shock, not noticing the tri-pronged kunai that lay at his feet.

* * *

Hinata stared up at the blonde in awe. One moment, she was sure she was staring into her own death. The next thing she knew, she was overcome by the strangest sensation she had ever felt and now she was staring up at the silhouetted face of her crush.

It was a moment she would never forget.

His face was perfectly lit up by the explosion behind him as concern was etched across his face. He tentatively held her in his arms as he clutched her to his chest.

It was perfect.

Until the blonde's cheeks began to bulge and he regurgitated Kenta's special meal for him all over Hinata's lap.

Aaaand just like that, the moment was gone.

* * *

Daiki could not believe the carnage he saw before him. That idiot Takara had gotten himself sealed and Kyou had been beaten by a single genin.

He had led Kakashi on a wild-goose chase with a disguised worker from the yard, before sending a clone off to keep him distracted. He had been surprised when he arrived to find no one at the rendezvous point. He hadn't been exactly worried for his chunin companions, but they only had so much time before Kakashi would figure out his ruse.

As he stumbled into their battleground, the sight that met him had floored him. He could barely believe his eyes. There was no mistaking that jutsu. The blonde had performed the Hiraishin. Suddenly everything fell into place. His hair. His skill in fuinjutsu.

He could not allow this boy to live. It would be disastrous for Iwa.

He raced towards the boy, who had dropped his female teammate as he tried to steady himself. The Uchiha noticed him and tried to cut him off.

There was a big difference between between a chunin and a jounin, and Daiki demonstrated this as he easily slipped past the boy's defenses, rammed a kunai into his shoulder, and knocked the wind out of him as he shoved him out of the way.

He raced towards the blonde, kunai in hand, as the boy stumbled to stay upright.

He was right in front of the boy with his kunai reared back to stab through his chest, when he was jolted to a halt and cold feeling burst through his own chest. He violently shuddered as he looked down to see a hand coated in dancing lightning protruding through his heart. Blood trailed from his mouth, and he turned around just long enough to stare into a single red eye before the world turned dark around him.

 **Author's Note:**

 **There you have it. The first truly big action sequence of the series. I hope this can tide you guys over for the rest of the week. I got studying to do and I am going to be packed all week. I may be back on Thursday or Friday, but I will be absent over the weekend. Please drop a review and I will talk to you guys next time.**

 **Review Corner:**

 **To MoonlitMelody. Really enjoyed your review. Found it very entertaining. Thank you for your support.**

 **To Neon and the Lost Soul, now you see why the title is "Trial by Fire"**

 **Thank you guys for all of your comments about the jutsu decision. It makes things so much easier for you and me.**


	13. Chapter 13 - Down Time (Part 1)

Chapter 13 – Down Time (Part 1)

Team 7 stood quietly as Kakashi finished his report. They shifted uncomfortably under the Hokage's steady gaze, as the sunset behind the man silhouetted the man's intimidating profile.

The Hokage wanted to sigh as he stared at the genin before him. It was too late in the day for this. He just couldn't seem to catch a break. It had barely been two months since they graduated, and they were already causing him headaches.

Only Team 7 could turn a simple D-rank mission into an A-rank and spark an international incident. Of course, Iwa was in the wrong here, and they knew it. He was going to make sure that they felt pressure for their actions. He was confident that the Fire Daiymo would have some choice words for the Earth Daiymo, when he found out someone had been actively trying to sabotage his business.

Thankfully, they had all returned from their first encounter with an enemy ninja relatively unharmed. Apart from a few cuts and bruises, they weren't much worse for wear. The day after the battle, Hinata had been sure to treat Sasuke's stab wound to ensure it didn't get infected, and Naruto took the time to work off his exhaustion as he slept for 14 hours. While this prevented them from leaving, Kenta was very accommodating. They had originally planned to head back to the village three or four days after their arrival anyway. Since they had finished early and successfully retrieved the stolen items, he was more than happy to wait a day or two before they all headed back

"Thank you for your report Kakashi"

He gazed over the genin and reassured them with a smile. "I must say that I am very impressed with all of you. Each of you should be commended for your contributions to the success of the mission. It speaks highly of your ability to keep a level head in that kind of situation and work as a team. Especially you, Hinata-chan. Not many genin can hold off two chunin alone and actually come close to disabling both of them. You should be proud."

The girl tried to shrink into her jacket as her face lit up from such praise. Naruto smiled and patted her on the back, while Sasuke smirked at her reaction.

"That is not to say that I'm not impressed with you boys either. Kento had nothing but praise for you Naruto, and he was anxious to find out when he could get you back. You continue to impress with you abilities in fuinjutsu. Keep up the good work."

Naruto also began to blush as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Sasuke, I'm also very pleased by your performance. You were able to stay calm and form a plan that utilized the strengths of your teammates and yourself. It speaks a lot of your ability as a leader. Well done."

Even if he didn't show it, Sasuke was secretly pleased from the praise.

"I'd say Team 7 has earned a few days off. I'll leave the details to Kakashi, but make sure to take some time to recuperate after your endeavors. Sasuke, make sure to stop by the hospital before you head home. I'm confident that Hinata was able to patch you up just fine, but I'd still prefer it if you went and saw professional help. You are all dismissed."

They bowed and turned to Kakashi, who gave them a wave.

"Meet me back at the training grounds in three days, and make sure to be on time. Try not to strain yourselves in the meantime. Now take a long rest. You've earned it."

The three of them nodded and bid their farewell to the Hokage before shuffling out the door.

Kakashi turned back to the Sandaime as the atmosphere became more serious. He reached into his bag and pulled out a green scroll, which he handed to the Hokage.

"I take it this contains the chunin from the Zaofu clan?" the Hokage asked as he inspected the scroll."

Kakashi nodded. It was a very clever idea. When sealing away something, the structure of the seal had to be prepared for that specific item. Kunai, shuriken, and other weaponry were easy enough because they consisted mostly of iron. The fewer elements present in the object one hoped to seal, the less complicated the formula had to be. However, a human body was so diverse and difficult to measure that it was almost impossible to seal away a living person. The boys had forced the Iwa nin into his metal form, which greatly reduced the amount of elements present in his body, making it simple for Naruto to restructure the sealing scroll.

"What are you planning to do with him?" he asked out of curiosity.

The Sandaime waved his hand and an ANBU suddenly appeared next to him. "Please make sure that this is delivered to Ibiki, and tell him to wait for further instructions."

"Hai Hokage-sama," she nodded and shunshined out of the room.

"I haven't decided yet. We first have to see if he actually survived the sealing process. In his metallic state, his consciousness may have been able to withstand the effects of the transition. If he survived, I'm going to let Ibiki handle his interrogation. After we are sure we have gotten everything we can from him, I may use him as a bartering chip if Ohnoki decides to be difficult. Though, I don't suspect there will be too much trouble from his end of discussions. He's facing enough problems as it is."

While things were certainly peaceful in the Land of Fire, the same could not be said for the rest of the world. In all honesty, Kumo was the only truly stable hidden village at the moment. While Konoha wasn't facing any major problems, even now, they were still recovering from the backlash of the Kyuubi attack and the Uchiha massacre. Suna was currently facing some economic problems. Then again, due to their topography, they would never truly be as successful as their neighboring countries. While Iwa's economy was stable due to their bountiful mining industry, they were facing some social unrest within the ranks of their shinobi.

"What's the word from Iwa?" Kakashi asked.

"According to Jiraiya's network, Ohnoki is facing some dissent amongst his ranks. He still holds the support of the majority of the shinobi in his forces, but the numbers of those who favor the ideals of his opponent are not to be dismissed out of hand. How familiar are you with Yuuto Tsubasa?

"The name sounds familiar, but all I can remember is that he's on their council."

"He is certainly someone to keep an eye on. While Ohnoki may harbor a grudge towards us for their loss in the last war, he at least has a modicum of respect for us. He would never strike back for something as petty as revenge. Yuuto Tsubasa, on the other hand, does not share his leader's perspective. He is rather vocal about his displeasure towards us."

"If he is causing trouble, why doesn't the Tsuchikage deal with him?"

"For the same reason I still allow Danzo to continue that "secret" organization of his. At the moment, Yuuto's services for the village do more good than harm. Besides, he is far too clever than to oppose the Tsuchikage directly. The old buzzard would never publically stand against his orders. He rebels against him in more subtle ways, such as through his public speeches. He mostly targets those who lost family in the last war, but he is trying to widen his umbrella of influence."

"Sounds to me that Yuuto would be happier to get the Zaofu back than the Tsuchikage would."

"Indeed. In any case, if we do send him back, we will have to have a Yamanaka wipe his mind of _particular_ events."

Kakashi knew the conversation would be heading in this direction.

"From your report, both he and the jounin seemed to recognize the boy immediately."

"Well, Naruto wasn't exactly being very subtle about it," Kakashi said as he scratched his head, "The jounin only recognized him because he saw him use the Hiraishin to save Hinata. Even so, the resemblance is uncanny. Honestly, I never understand how no one in our village ever makes the connection."

"It shocks me as well, but ignorance tends to blind those with a heavy heart," the Hokage commented, "Although everything managed to work out this time, I am concerned of what could happen in the future. It is only going to get more difficult for you to watch over all three of them. They need to be ready for the challenges I'm certain are heading their way."

"I was thinking just the same thing sir. In fact, I have a request."

After a minute, the Sandaime rolled around Kakashi's proposal in his head. Any drawbacks he could think of were quite light when compared to the possible benefits. It was just a matter of bending protocol.

"If I were to agree to this, I have terms of my own that you would have to submit to. Before I tell you them, I have to be sure. Would you be fully committed to this?"

"Absolutely sir."

The events of the mission must have shaken the man more than he had thought. The Hokage pulled out his pipe and lit it with his finger. He took a few puffs before he returned his gaze to the jounin.

"Alright. I will allow it. On these terms…"

* * *

For once, the sight of the Hyuuga compound brought a smile to her face. She couldn't believe she'd only been gone for a few days.

Hinata was looking forward to a nice, hot shower before heading to sleep. She was broken out of her daydream, when she realized her father would be expecting her to report to him as soon as she got home.

Her mood quickly dimmed, as she took her time shuffling towards his office. She still hadn't made up her mind about how she was going to bring up her issue to him. Assuming her plan of writing down the story on a different scroll worked, it was certain that he would want to know where it came from. Bringing her right back to where she started. How could she tell him without lying?

She was so preoccupied by her internal debate that she did not realize she had been standing outside his office for several minutes.

"Hinata, I know you are there. Please come in," her father's voice rang behind the door.

Shaking off her stupor she slid open the door and entered. Her father sat at his desk like he had every day with that same stern look on his face.

"I take it your short mission was a success."

"Yes sir, although we did run into some complications…"

He merely raised an eyebrow as he waited for her to continue. What could have possibly been so bad on a D-rank mission? Hiashi already knew of the C-rank curse that seemed to plague every iteration of Team 7, but he wasn't expecting it to happen so soon. They hadn't even been assigned a C-rank yet.

"We encountered three Iwa shinobi who were trying to steal shipping and financial information from the lumberyard. My team and I were forced to intervene and subdue them."

Hiashi frowned as he gave her his undivided attention. "Start from the beginning."

* * *

Hiashi closed his eyes as he digested the information. It was worrying to hear that Iwa would be daring enough to venture this deep into Fire nation territory.

"I am very pleased with your performance. Your ability to hold off and subdue two Iwa chunin speaks highly of yourself and of the clan. Make sure to continue your efforts."

"Hai tou-san," she said as she bowed her head.

"Now, it is getting late. Head off to bed. I am still curious about this new technique you have claimed to develop and wish for a demonstration tomorrow. For now, you are dismissed."

He turned back to his lingering paperwork, but was surprised when she didn't move. She seemed nervous and twiddled her thumbs together.

"Is there something else you wish to discuss?"

"A-actually, there is," she muttered.

He gave her time to compose herself and gather her thoughts.

She steeled herself as she said, "There is something I would like to share with you regarding the Hyuuga clan ring…"

Hiashi was instantly alert. Due to Shikaku's suggestion, he had been preparing to have a talk with his daughter after she returned, but he was not expecting it to happen so soon. He was surprised she was the first one to make a move.

"Go on…"

"I believe… I have discovered a story that might pertain to the stone ring…"

"Where did this story come from, if I may ask?"

She bit her lip and seemed to be having a fierce internal debate.

"It…it came from the stone room." It wasn't a complete lie. She had received the scroll in the room, just not from translating the stone.

She was slightly relieved when she looked into her father's eyes and saw they were as sharp as they ever were. Her plan seemed to be working so far.

"When did this happen?"

"About when I was assigned to Team 7…"

His eyes flashed. "Why did you not bring this to my attention sooner?"

"I… just wanted to make you proud by figuring it out by myself…"

Hiashi was torn. The leader side of him was furious that she would keep something so important from him, and the father side of him was melting by her need to please him. It was just who she was. But there was something else. She was hiding something.

Normally, he would chalk Hinata's nervous behavior to her shy personality, but he had been trained to notice when someone was holding something back. His own sensei had been a master at gathering information, and he had been sure to pass along his teachings to his students. The way she avoided eye contact more than normal. The way she hunched her shoulders. How she paused to think out her answer. They were all signs that she was giving him the full truth. She was twisting it into a more believable story.

As much as it vexed him, he would have to play along. He was simply grateful she had finally decided to come to him with this on her own. There were unknown factors at play here, and it was dangerous for her to undertake this on her own.

"Why are you bringing this to my attention now?"

"Because I need help. I've been hitting dead ends, and I believe it is time that I started reaching out to others. I can no longer do this alone."

A smile fought to escape his lips. "While I am displeased that you kept this from me, I am proud that you came to me on your own accord. It speaks highly of one's character when they can admit that they cannot do everything by themselves."

She blushed as she nodded her head. "Now, what discoveries have you made this time?"

It felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "I have discovered a story which could possibly point to the origin of the clan, but it seems to be just a fable."

"Most origin stories seem that way. Although the origin of Konoha can be traced back about a 100 years, the battle between the village's founders is already revered as legend. As I have told you, our clan's history is one coated in prestige, but even we don't know the full origins of where our clan and doujutsu originated. I am very interested to hear this fable of yours."

"If you will permit me, I can get you a full translation of the story and a copy of my research tomorrow morning."

"I accept your proposal. I will make sure to clean up my schedule tomorrow morning. Meet me back here at 9:00 with all the research you have accumulated, and we shall discuss your findings."

"Thank you tou-san," she bowed as she began to stand up She made her way to the door, when he called out to her.

"Hinata."

She paused at the door to turn back to him. "I am very pleased with your progress. Your mother would be very proud of the young woman you are becoming."

Hinata's face lit up in a big smile, as her heart skipped a beat. She stuttered out a thank you as she rushed to her room to get ready.

After she was gone, Hiashi unclenched the scroll he held in his hand. He had prepared it in case the mysterious genjutsu seemed to return again. She seemed to understand that there was something wrong as well. She was lying about where she got this story, but that did not mean he could dismiss it. She was trying to work around the illusion problem as well, he realized. As much as it pained him, she would have to face the bulk of this problem on her own. All he could do was try to lighten her load.

* * *

Naruto had passed out the moment his head hit his pillow. He hadn't even bothered changing out of his torn and bloody new clothes. When he woke up the next morning, he was disappointed when he took off his new hoodie.

The navy shirt was fine. It just needed a wash, but the short sleeve hood was torn across the front. He would have to spend some time knitting that back together. While it still seemed like a girly skill to him, he had been forced to learn it early on. With his limited budget, he was forced to repair the limited amount of clothes he had.

He left a shadow clone to deal with this, as he pulled his casual white shirt over his head. He had three days all to himself and he was going to make the most of it. He really wanted to dig into his new advanced series books, but there was one thing he had to take care of.

He said his goodbyes to the clone working in his house as he set out for the Hokage's office.

It was time for his second major test.

* * *

Even at these early hours, the Saindaime was already fiercely at work. He sat across from Shikaku and Danzo as they scrolled over the mission report from the night before.

"What are your thoughts on this?" he asked.

Shikaku shook his head. "Something doesn't add up. It doesn't make sense for them to sneak this far into our territory just steal some business documents. That company has several branches that make more ideal targets closer to Iwa's borders."

The Hokage nodded. This had troubled his as well.

"What also bothers me is the behavior of the two chunin."

The Sandaime shot a look at his old friend who had been silent this entire time. "And what are your thoughts on this?"

Danzo was quiet before he opened his eye. "Let's examine the behavior of the members of their unit. First the Zaofu clansman. I believe his actions are not an indication of Iwa's overarching mission. He poorly acted out of anger and threatened the safety of his teammates, just to settle a petty score. What we should consider is what reactions he elicited from his comrades. From Hyuuga-sama's report, the other chunin seemed surprised when the Zaofu arrived. It begs the question why he would he be surprised by support after Hinata-sama had relinquished his possession of his supposed target and removed his ability to utilize nin-jutsu?"

"You're suggesting that the chunin had another objective?"

"Perhaps. I will admit. I am surprised that neither the Uchiha nor the Hyuuga were their objectives."

"The jounin seemed to recognize this fear when he lured Kakashi away," Shikaku chimed in. "They must have realized it would have been more risky to chance stealing the genin than accomplishing their original mission."

"Which begs the question," the Sandaime chimed, "What was their original mission?"

Silence was his response as the other two men thought it over. "Danzo, I want you to set aside some time to look into this. If your investigation means that you have to set foot in Iwa territory, I will permit it. I want you to turn up something before the Tsuchikage responds to my letter."

"As you wish Hiruzen," he nodded.

"Shikaku, make sure that the scouting department knows that I am displeased with their performance. Ensure that they fix up any holes in their sweeps."

"Understood sir."

"Good. I want this issue resolved before the Chunin exams are underway. You are dismissed."

After both men had left the room, Hiruzen began to light his pipe. Iwa's activity was concerning, especially as the exams were coming up. Their attention was already going to be pulled away due to all of the incoming villages. The last thing he needed was Iwa getting confident, when they were busy dealing with logistical nightmare of the visiting traffic from other villages.

He was about to return to his work, when he door burst open again. Naruto charged right in and gave him a mock salute when he reached is desk.

"How you doing jiji?"

The old man shot him a fake glare. "Not well, no thanks to you. I'm figuring out how best to deal with your mess."

"Aww come on, you don't mean that."

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't. In all seriousness, I do have a log day of work ahead of me. Is there something you needed?"

"Yep, I'm ready to take the next test."

Ahh, so that was what this was about. He supposed this was an opportune time to do it. The boy had the next few days to himself, and he was sure the blonde would be too busy later, considering what Kakashi had in store for them.

"I see. Are you fully prepared?"

"You know it! So what do you have planned for me this time?"

The Hokage chuckled. "Very well. However, I'm not the one who has prepared your next test. I'm taking a page from an old project put forth by the Yondaime."

Naruto's eyes lit up as the Sandaime pulled a scroll out from his desk. "This was a test constructed by my predecessor for class project he created. This was meant to act as a final exam for the intermediary course. It is timed I'm afraid, so make sure that you will not be disturbed when you start it."

The blonde excitedly nodded as he was handed the scroll. "I think it goes without saying that you should refrain from cheating."

"Just what kind of guy do you take me for?"

"Someone who takes great pleasure in breaking the rules and causing trouble," said a voice from the corner of the room.

"YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH KITSUNE-BAKA!" the blonde shouted.

There was snickering from the corners of the room, as the ANBU watched the interaction between the boys.

The Sandaime cleared his throat catching the attention of everyone present. "As I was saying, I wish you the best of luck. Now, I need to get back to work."

"You got it jiji. Thank you!" and with that, the blond stormed out of the office, just as quickly as he had came.

* * *

"8 Trigrams 64 Palm Guard!" Hinata screamed as the training post was slashed apart by the sharp edges of chakra.

Hiashi stood to the side of the courtyard as he watched Hinata's demonstration, and he had to admit he was impressed. Not many genin could claim that they had developed their own techniques.

"Thank you, Hinata. Come here," he called out as she jogged up to him. She was slightly panting when she arrived. He could tell with his byakugan that the technique certainly ate up a large amount of her reserves. They would have to rectify this.

"I will admit I am impressed by the technique. I assume you got the idea by watching the Kaiten?"

She quickly nodded, "Yes sir, but I also got the idea from kaa-chan's scrolls."

It clicked as the image of his wife bathed in blue chakra with thick, blue blades of chakra emanating from her palms popped into his mind. His wife had been as graceful as a swan when in public, but as ferocious as a tiger in the heat of battle. The comparison was especially appropriate considering her nickname.

"Very good. I assume you are aware of which of her jutsu are outside of your current limits?"

Another nod dissuaded his concerns. Although. this now made him curious. What other jutsu was his daughter trying to craft behind his back?

"Very good. Before I return to my office, there are a few things I would like to discuss with you. The first regards our talk from earlier this morning."

Two hours earlier, the two of them had sat down as Hinata read to him the story of the rabbit goddess and all of her research into determining the identity of this individual.

He had been astounded how many books and scrolls she had burned through in her quest. She had not made much progress in determining the identity of the individual, but she had crossed off several possibilities from the long line of Hyuuga lineage.

"For the time being, I would prefer it if you took a break from your research regarding the stone monument."

She was surprised and started to protest, before he held up a hand. "Don't get me wrong. I am very impressed by the progress you have made, but you have other matters that will require your attention. Your priority should first and foremost be to the safety of your teammates. To do this, you need to focus on your training, so that you will be able to properly support them."

After his message from the Hokage, Hiashi was sure Kakashi had his own plans regarding how they would be spending their time. It would inhibit her from reaching her true potential if she had to split her limited free time between training and researching, especially when it tended to yield little results.

Hinata was surprised by her father's words. She had assumed he would be more concerned about the secrets of the clan than her teammates. It was a different side of her father that she was not used to seeing.

"Do not be discouraged. I already have resources looking into this mystery, and I shall pass along your findings to them. You are no longer alone in this endeavor."

Hinata was not shocked as her mind wandered to her conversation with the Nara leader a few days ago.

"For now, try to put your mind at ease. We will deal with this problem as it comes up. If the past is any indication, our insight into this problem will only come in random bursts at a time. It would be better to focus on something that guarantees results."

"Hai tou-san!"

"Good. Now, lets see if your technique can actually guard against its namesake. I will slow myself down so you are able to keep up. Are you ready?"

Hinata's face held a grim determination as she slipped into her form. "Hai!"

"Very good. Then let us commence."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Great news. The college administration finally got some sense and decided to cancel the trip to Miami (come on guys, you really had to wait until the day of the trip to decide that heading into a category 4 hurricane was a bad idea?). In truth, the reason we aren't going is because the state troopers would not be able to provide protection because they are too busy with the backlash of Hurricane Matthew. We have had serious incidents in the past with the Miami fans, so it was too dangerous to go without a security detail. So now I am free to catch up with some chapters this weekend. Please leave a review because I love responding to you guys (and we are sooo close to that milestone! Lets break 100 reviews!)**

 **Stick around for the review corner, it may answer a lot of your questions.**

 **Review Corner (and brace yourself there is a lot):**

 **(To guest reviewer KK) Love it. Consider it canon.**

 **(To Neon and the Lost Soul) Although their spelling is very close, there is difference between 'sannin' and 'sennin.' I won't deny that Naruto may be heading in the direction to be** ** _a_** **sage, but not exactly** ** _the_** **Sage. That's not to say there isn't a connection there as well. If you guys want a hint of what's to come, you might want to look up what "yajuu" means in Japanese.**

 **(To Moonlit Melody) Oh, Hinata is going to kick all kinds of ass in this story. Sakura will get her share of action too, when she pops in later (Don't expect too much. She is not that important to the overall story. Just pops in like Chouji or Kiba would, from time to time).**

 **While Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were supposed to be the main characters of the real series, there is no denying that Sakura got pushed to the side, which is unfortunate. I plan to share the focus between our three heroes as they move forward. While it may seem like Hinata may be getting more attention right now, that is only because we already know so much about Naruto and Sasuke. We had an entire series that got to focus on them, so we kind of have to play catch up to bring Hinata into the mix. Don't worry; they will each get their fair share of attention in the future.**

 **My favorite moments of this story actually begin after the time skip. Some of you can maybe guess what the future holds from the tidbits placed throughout the chapters. Hinata has the secrets of her clan to discover, Naruto is going to face multiple adventures during the time skip that will truly shake his worldview, and Sasuke is going to face challenges that will push him to his limit physically and psychologically.**

 **(To ND99SAMA)**

 **Wasn't Naruto asleep? No. Hinata was leading them back to the campsite when they encountered Kyou. Naruto was too exhausted to chase after them, so he was left with Kento. Since he was worried, he fought his exhaustion to stay awake until Sasuke found him.**

 **How did Kakashi know where they were? Like you said, the dude's a badass plus he's former ANBU and an elite tracker. While the Iwa nins had been masking their presence earlier, the genin were not. Besides all of the chakra they were throwing around, they would have left a clear trail after sprinting into the woods. Besides, if I explained it in the story, it would have taken away from the moment at the end. What makes his entrance stand out is how unexpected it was.**

 **As for how Sasuke found them, it was explained in the story. He got tired of waiting for Kakashi and started walking through the compound. He ran into Naruto, who lead them in the direction Hinata left.**

 **Now for the most reoccurring question I've faced with this story. The Hiraishin and its effects on Naruto. It is so hard to not give everything away. Everyone is so curious about it, and I regret to tell you that the full answer won't come until the very beginning of the training arc. I won't give away exactly what's causing the damage and why it keeps happening just yet, but I can tell you this: if it were anyone else who tried what Naruto is doing, it would kill them. Naruto is still kicking due to multiple reasons, one of which is due to a certain orange individual who tends to heal all of Naruto's injuries.**


	14. Chapter 14 - Down Time (Part 2)

Chapter 14 – Down Time (Part 2)

Naruto sat down at his kitchen table and sprawled his sealing kit all around the scroll. He was anxious to get started. What really excited him was that he had no idea what to expect. The idea of taking a test actually devised by his idol was exhilarating. With bated breath, he opened the scroll and burned through the only visible section.

Naruto groaned as he combed over the instructions. Sadly, it _was_ a formal test. His gut turned as he gazed at the first paragraph, which read:

 _For this exam, you will be tested for your mastery of the intermediary level of fuinjutsu. Should you pass this exam, you will be permitted to move forward to the advanced classes._

 _This exam is split into 4 parts: a multiple choice, fill in the blank, a free response, and a puzzle seal for you to solve._

 _You will have 2 hours and 30 minutes from the moment you begin the exam. After the allotted time, security seals in the scroll will activate preventing you from answering any further. If these seals are tampered with in any way, the scroll will lock and you will instantly fail. Any marks entered after the allotted time will not be counted. After the allotted time, you shall receive instant feedback for your grade._

 _To begin the test, place your hand on the area below this paragraph and insert your chakra. This will act as your signature for grading later on._

 _I am proud of all of you for getting this far, and I wish you the best of luck._

Even though he knew the message wasn't directed at him, Naruto still felt his heart skip a beat from the encouragement. He wiped away a single tear that threatened to fall from his eye, and forced himself to concentrate. It was time to get serious.

Picking up his brush, he placed his hand over the scroll and began pumping chakra into the paper. Immediately the scroll's contents were revealed and a timer began counting down at the top of the page.

It was time to begin.

* * *

It was about midday as Sasuke strolled along the canals of the village. He never really liked having a lot of free time. Even though he had disliked being forced to sit through the monotony of the academy, he had hated their summer breaks even more. All it did was give him more time to think, and whenever he started thinking, his thoughts would inevitably return to his brother.

So he would drown himself in training to block out his thoughts and feelings. He couldn't reflect on his past if he was too tired to think; however, now he couldn't even do that.

He tugged at the uncomfortable bandages on his shoulder. The nurse had been kind and very thorough when she inspected his injury. She wanted him to pass her compliments to Hinata for how well she had treated him up until this point. The nurse had bathed his shoulder in a strange green chakra and a few minutes later, the injury was completely healed. Of course, that didn't stop her from wrapping him up in bandages to ensure that the newly-formed tissue didn't tear. Something about it still being delicate.

So now, he was left with nothing to do but simply walk and think. Desperately trying to avoid thoughts of his brother, he directed his train of thought to reflect on his last mission.

All in all, he had to say that he was quite pleased his overall performance. Sure, he hadn't been able to let loose too much, but he finally had a comparison for where he placed among the shinobi of other villages. For a fresh genin, he had done very well, but even that was not good enough. It would never be good enough compared to _him_.

Catching himself again, he shook his head and directed his thoughts towards the conclusion of the mission. To call what they had done brutal would have been an understatement. The more empathetic part of him actually hoped that the Iwa nin did not feel the full effects of their combined attacks. The back wind of heat alone had actually left small blisters along his body. He could only imagine the full pain that the man had to endure.

He was still shocked how well the two of them worked together. Though the blonde sometimes made his blood boil, Sasuke could not deny that the two of them had chemistry. 'No, not like that' he thought embarrassingly to himself.

Even from when they were little, the two of them were easily able to read each other's minds. He remembered a particular incident from when the two of them were about six.

* * *

Naruto, being the rambunctious prankster he was, had been placed in detention for covering one of the boys from a civilian family head to toe in glitter. Of course, the boy had it coming for he had been pelting the blonde boy from two rows above with spitballs for the past week. This was an interesting occasion for Naruto wasn't alone in his punishment. He was also sharing detention with Sasuke, who sat two seats away from him. This was back before the Uchiha incident. His brother had hyped up the academy as this amazing place, but it honestlydid nothing but bore him. The day before, Sasuke had decided to skip school in an attempt to follow his brother around the village. Needless to say, his mother and the teacher had not been pleased.

So they both had to sit out recess and snack time, and they could only stare at the other children as they got to play outside. Not that it mattered to Naruto, since no one ever wanted to play with him. Their stomachs grumbled as the two boys jealously glared at their classmates.

Their teacher was sitting at his desk filing some paperwork, when one of his colleagues poked his head in. The man had given the two a short glare promising a world of pain if they moved. He took his bento box and placed it up in the highest cubby before walking out of the door.

As soon as they heard their footsteps disappear, the two sprung up as one and moved to the cubbies. Without a word, Sasuke crossed his hands and gave Naruto a boost as he desperately tried to reach for their teacher's box.

Naruto stretched his tiny fingers, until he finally grasped the side of the container. His face lit up into his iconic smile as he clambered down and the boys rummaged through the box. When the teacher returned, he was happy to find the two boys sitting upright in their seats as if they hadn't moved. He grabbed his bento box and was about to get back to work. He reached for the dango sticks he had been saving, but was surprised when he found them absent.

He glared at the two boys who desperately tried to hide their guilt, but they could not remove the crumbs that littered the sides of their mouths.

* * *

The two of them worked in tandem a little two well for how much they, at times, despised one another. It was like they had some unspoken connection or long past that enabled them to act in tandem without thinking.

It was something that always bothered him about the blonde. No matter how much he sometimes pushed him away; they seemed to be linked together.

As his thoughts returned to the battle, an offhand comment from the Iwa shinobi made him pause.

 _"_ _Stop getting in my way Uchiha! You can't stop me from getting the Yondaime brat!"_

What had he meant by that exactly? Sure, Naruto had fuinjutsu in common with the Yondaime, but he wouldn't call that enough to label him that way. This thought made him stop.

'Actually, how did the Iwa shinobi even know he was good at fuinjutsu? Before he started chasing them back towards Hinata's fight, Naruto had not even demonstrated that he was good with seals. Had they been spying on them?'

'Maybe, but certainly not that man,' he reasoned. The metal man had seized up and charged the blonde the instant he saw him. If he had been the one spying on him before, he would have jumped him then.

What was it about Naruto screamed a connection between him and the Yondaime?

Sasuke stooped along the river and gazed up at the looming stone head of the man in question. He could kind of see a resemblance. They both certainly had the spiky hair. From the few pictures he had seen of the man, he guessed they had similar hair color. Those were a few connections, but Sasuke scoffed as he thought at the more abundant differences.

While he was sure some details were embellished, he reflected on how the villagers would describe their fallen hero. A man who was a genius above all others, but never flaunted it. Extremely humble and patient. A man who always kept a level head.

* * *

"Shit, shit, shit, shit!" Naruto muttered as he glanced at the clock.

* * *

Sasuke scoffed as he thought of his teammate. The blonde was clever, but he was about as impatient as they come. So what could-

"Hey, what are you doing down there?"

Sasuke was cut out of his musings, and looked up to see a young girl staring down at him. She seemed to be around his age. He didn't recognize her from the academy so he assumed she was a civilian. She had long black hair and black eyes that mirrored his own, except hers held a different emotion. She was carrying a bag of groceries in her hands, and held a distinct look of irritation as she glared at him.

"You heard me, baka. What are you doing down there? The adults around here don't want us walking next to the water."

Sasuke scoffed and glared back at her. "Trust me. I'm fine. I'm the last person you need to worry about getting hurt."

"Says the guy with his arm bandaged up," she shot back, "And who said I was worried about you getting hurt?"

He clenched his teeth as he rebutted, "You seem to worry enough about me falling in."

"It's not about falling in dumb ass. It's about the water moccasins that inhabit the area. Like that one right you're about to step on."

Sure enough, Sasuke look down and uncharacteristically let out a yelp as he jumped back from the black and yellow snake that sat coiled in front of him.

She had giggled for a second before her eyes slightly widened as he flipped several feet in the air and landed close to her.

"So you're a shinobi."

"So what if I am?" he asked noticing the disdain in her voice.

"Nothing," she seemed to shrug, "so much for the ever vigilant shinobi who are supposed to protect us. You guys can't even protect yourselves."

Sasuke wanted to protest, but she did have him stuck here. It would have been disastrous if he had stepped on the serpent. If it had bitten him, he didn't know if he would have been able to make it back to the hospital in time.

So he grit his teeth and mumbled something under his breath.

"Didn't quite catch that."

"I said…"

"A little louder duck-but."

He sent her a glare as he clenched out, "Thank you."

She sent him a smirk. "Don't mention it. Well I have to go ninja-boy. In case you didn't know, the world doesn't always revolve around you guys. I have a brother to feed. The name is Ria, by the way. What's yours duck-butt?"

He ignored her comment about his hair as he said, "Sasuke."

"Pleasure. Well goodbye, Sasuke. Try to keep yourself out of trouble."

With that, she turned around as started to continue her way up river as if they had never talked.

Sasuke glared at her retreating form for a while before he turned his attention back to the black snake, which seemed to be staring right at him. It hissed at him and he responded by using his good arm to chuck a kunai at it. It moved its head just out of the way before turning and heading into the water.

Snakes always gave Sasuke chills. With one last glance before it dived back into the water, Sasuke tucked his hands in his pockets and began walking into the village. It was getting around time to grab dinner.

* * *

Naruto was sweating. He desperately tried to shut out each tick of the clock that counted down to his deadline.

' _Shit!_ '

Everything had started out well enough. He had flashed through the first parts of the exam without a problem (no pun intended), but now he was surprised that he was actually being challenged by the puzzle seal.

A required trait for all fuinjutsu users was being able to discern the hidden code within each individual or set of kanji. Some seals operated on specific letters alone, while others required multiple letters to work in conjunction. Some even required lines of kanji that stretched out for several feet to achieve their intended purpose. Of course, this was very impractical for several cases, so a method was developed to reduce the size of these segments. Sprawling branches of kanji could be compacted into smaller and more manageable shapes and sizes. It was like condensing a paragraph into a single word or two. In fact, that had been one of the problems he had faced as he was unraveling the Hiraishin. Before he had been introduced to the idea, he had struggled to understand that the symbols of endurance, love, and sword each held their own sprawling library of code.

Back to his test, revealing these branches wasn't the issue. Reading the dam thing was what truly plagued him. Naruto was struggling with a puzzle that was constantly contorting and shifting across the page. The ink seemed to have a life of its own as it sprung across the page and shifted into a variety of shapes.

Whenever Naruto tried to enlarge a specific line of the seal's formula, it would be covered or contorted so that he could not read it. The Yondaime must have been a really sadistic bastard if he thought this was funny.

He was fighting against the clock now and he knew it. When the seal had started shifting, he had panicked and had been unable to regain his composure. As time continued to run out, he only panicked even harder.

He had no idea what the seal did, let alone what he was supposed to do. There were no instructions when he reached this part. All there had been was a large black circle of ink that morphed into a decagon upon his touch. Each angle spat out a different line of code and began spinning clockwise. When he reached out to touch one, it branched out into numerous links that contorted into unreadable squiggles.

It made his head spin. What was the Yondaime expecting him to do?

He closed his eyes and clutched his face. This wasn't working. He needed to try something else. He was going to fail otherwise.

He needed...he needed...

A strange calm washed over him, as a word of advice seemed to creep into his mind.

 _'_ _Whenever you find yourself facing a problem and under great stress, take a moment to step away. Take a deep breath, and look at the problem a different way.'_

Naruto let out a deep breath and closed his eyes. His finally started to slow down as he began to slowly inhale and exhale.

' _I can do this. I just need to be calm.'_

As his heartbeat settled down, his mind retraced his steps to the beginning.

When he had reached this section, he had immediately pounced on the large blob in the center. It was at the forefront and designed to grab your attention. If activated, it would intentionally spiral out and try to confuse the reader. There was no way the Yondaime actually expected them to be able to read through this hot mess. It just wasn't possible. There had to be something else.

He let out the breath he'd been holding and slammed his hands onto the scroll. He clenched his fingers as he twisted his hands counter-clockwise. Immediately, the scroll began spinning in the opposite direction and began curling back into its original shape, until the singular, black circle returned to the page.

Naruto leaned back as he studied the blot. He let is eyes wander the page, soaking in every detail until he noticed four black dots along the edge of the paper. Each of them was about the size of the tip of a pencil. He had totally missed them during his first attempt, and then it hit him. It was a message that had been drilled into his head by every book he had ever read about fuinjutsu: whenever faced with a new seal, always take your time to study it by parts and always work from the outside in.

He pressed his fingers on the top two dots and spread them across the page, revealing a new line of code that did not twist like the others before it. He did the same to the bottom two and made a square made of kanji around the circle.

He slowly read over the instructions and slapped himself in the head.

It was so simple.

Picking up his brush, he reactivated the circle causing the branches to spread across the page, leaving an empty space right in the middle of the page. This time, the branches did not wiggle or contort on the paper. Instead, they drew straight lines to the corners of the square.

Every branch contained the same question repeated over and over again.

Smiling, he began writing his response in the center of the paper. The timer ticked down its final seconds as he finished his final stroke.

It asked, "What is most important when tackling a new problem?"

Naruto chuckled as he formed the hand signs to lace the kanji with chakra. He really had to thank Kitsune for his advice.

In the middle of page were only two kanji, which read: 'patience.'

The scroll glowed bright red as the timer stopped at zero.

A second later, the whole scroll glowed white and Naruto could no longer see the page. A green light began descending from the tip of the scroll all the way towards the end. When it reached the bottom, the glowing light vanished, revealing green check marks next to all of his answers.

He chuckled as he stared at a small lollipop that had appeared at the top of the page next to his grade. He picked it up and rolled it around in his hands before opening the wrapper. Time flowed differently for things in seals. It could be designed to be dramatically faster, but usually time crept almost to a halt inside of seals. The piece of candy had been sitting there for who know how many years, but it was probably in the same condition the Yondaime bought it in.

Naruto popped the candy in his mouth and couldn't suppress the warm feeling of giddiness that spread across his chest.

He had passed with flying colors.

* * *

The next few days seemed to fly by and before they knew it, the members of Team 7 found themselves walking together towards their training grounds.

Naruto had been sure to boast that he had officially moved on to the advanced fuinjutsu material. Hinata happily applauded his accomplishment, while Sasuke simply told him "good job."

They were shocked when they found their sensei leaning against the side of the bridge, with his book suspiciously absent.

"Y-you're actually on time," Naruto stuttered.

"Yes, yes I suppose I am."

"What's going on sensei?" Hinata asked cautiously.

He sighed as he gazed over the three of them.

"I would like to offer you all an apology."

He could literally see the confusion etch itself on their faces. "I will admit that my behavior has been a little lax when it comes to your training, and for that I apologize. Despite that, you three were able to overcome a major obstacle all on your own, and for that you should be commended."

They were quickly cut off from smiling, when he said, "Don't let that go to your head. In fact, even though you repelled those chunin, you all would be dead if I hadn't shown to deal with their jounin leader. Whether I like it or not, you three are going to be facing some big challenges in your futures, and you will need to be ready for them. So, I had a conversation with the Hokage."

The each stared at him in curiosity. "For the next month, you three are mine. We will not be going on any missions for the time being."

Naruto began cheering and jumping up and down before Kakashi cut him off. "This does _not_ mean things are going to be easy for you. In case you didn't know, I was the captain of ANBU for a reason. For the next month, I am going to train you until your knuckles bleed, your insides will burn, and you will feel as if you are going to collapse. You do what I tell you to do, and only leave when I tell you to leave. If you manage to succeed in the goals I put out for you, Hokage-sama will assign us several C-rank missions to make up for the D-ranks we will have missed, and that is not all."

Sasuke had been shocked. This was exactly what he had hoped for, but apparently there was more?

"In case you didn't know, the chunin exams are coming up relatively soon. If we are to do this, the Hokage doesn't just expect you three to enter, he expects you to pass. He is breaking protocol here by allowing us to do this, so he expects results. Now are you three up to it?

Sasuke grinned as he looked between his teammates. Naruto shared his grin and Hinata had a look of grim determination.

"Do you even need to ask?" Naruto asked

"Good. Now then-"

Kakashi rushed forward faster than they could blink and drove his fist into Naruto's gut. His eyes bulged out of his head as he was flung several feet away. Kakashi stared down at the faces of his shocked students and said, "Training begins now."

 **Author's Note:**

 **Glad I could get two chapters out this weekend. I know this one was a bit short, so I might shoot for a third, but don't get too optimistic. I am glad I got to do this chapter and focus more on the unspoken bond between Naruto and Sasuke. If you're caught up with the manga, you already know why the boys are linked, which stretches back all the way to the sage. To be honest, I'm glad the chapter turned out as well as it did.**

 **Writing Sasuke without being too angsty or changing too quickly is actually quite hard. In most fics, he is either raging, self-absorbed asshole or a smug saint. It is really hard to find the perfect balance in between the polar opposites. The tendency of people who write Sasuke as good is making him change too fast. Even I'll admit I'm kind of falling into this pitfall, but that isn't to say that he is perfect. He's human and he _certainly_ has his flaws.**

 **Also, we had the introduction to Ria.** **I think you guys will like her. Even if she is a civilian, she won't be taking any of Sasuke's crap. I've really come to appreciate her backstory, which you guys will find out soon. She has faced the harsh reality of the world, and doesn't view shinobi too kindly. The story of her and her brother will certainly be intriguing for you guys.**

 **There is a good reason for her in this story. She is here to serve as a foil to Sasuke. It's an understatement to say that Sasuke doesn't have many friends. I needed something for Sasuke to do during his downtime in the village besides train and think about his growth. That is just not healthy and it gets boring real fast. Ria will be here and pop in from time to time to give Sasuke perspective of the ninja world through the eyes of a civilian. Throughout the main series, we really only got to view the world from the shinobi point of view. We really never got to hear the story from the perspective of the civilians. Wouldn't it be weird if you existed in a world where your military basically throws around magic and there is nothing you can do if they start becoming tyrannical? That would really make you feel inadequate. I want to add this to Sasuke's development because he is the kind of person who wants to listen to the opinions of others before he shapes his own. This was shown when he wanted to listen to the Kages before he made his decision to help or destroy the village. Having another perspective on life, that he can connect to, will help him gain a better understanding of the type of person he is and the person he aspires to be.**

 **Thank you guys for finally breaking 100 reviews. It means a lot to hear from you, so thank you all for voicing your thoughts. Make sure to leave a review, and I will see you guys next time.**


	15. Chapter 15 - Gluttons for Pain

Chapter 15 – Gluttons for Pain

Sasuke could only blink before Kakashi backhanded him. The metal plates of his gloves caused blood spill from Sasuke's nose. He backed away, gasping in pain, as Kakashi whipped a kick at Hinata.

Having more time than her teammates, she was able to duck under the blow. Veins bulged around her eyes as she leapt toward the man with her hands bathed in blue chakra. She was shocked when he caught her wrists and spun her in a circle, before flinging her into her blonde teammate, who was still struggling to get up.

They crashed into each other with a satisfying thud, and Kakashi rounded on Sasuke, who was still clutching his nose. Sasuke opened one clenched eye to see a fist rocketing towards his face. All he could do was brace himself as the punch sent him flying back.

Dirt was torn up as he rolled away from the jounin. Sasuke clutched his aching face in his hands as he angrily glared at his sensei.

Hinata was holding her hip as she tried to help up her teammate, who was trying to regain his breath.

"Like I told you, for the next month, I am going to drag you all through hell and back. If you manage to survive, you might learn a thing or two. Now come at me."

Hinata was shivering. Gone was the jovial Kakashi that they had grown to know during training. This was the stone-cold assassin she had glimpsed when he drove his hand through the jounin's chest.

Naruto was finally able to stand on his own and was glaring daggers at their sensei. Oh, he was going to get it for that cheap shot. He and Sasuke shared a glance and raced towards the man.

It was a storm of fists and kicks, as they assaulted him. One would attack from below, as the other would move in at the man's chest. He barely seemed to move as the two genin bounced around the man. No matter what they did, there was an arm or knee to block their attacks. All of his moves were precise, thought out, and delivered with the power of a piston.

Kakashi blocked simultaneous kicks from the boys on both sides as felt a presence behind him. He grabbed Naruto's leg and swung him into Sasuke, before diving out of the way of Hinata's strike.

The two were sent flying away as Hinata engaged the man. She was growing more and more frustrated as he just seemed to dance out of the way of all her strikes.

With her byakugan, she could see Sasuke push the blonde off him and begin to forming his chakra. She continued a few strikes before replacing herself with a block of wood as he screamed, "Katon: Fireball Jutsu!"

A raging ball of fire raced towards the jounin, engulfing the spot he had occupied. Sasuke stared at the burning fire for a second before scanning the surrounding tree line. Where did he g-

Kakashi appeared out of nowhere and delivered a roundhouse kick to the boy's side. As Sasuke tumbled out of the way, Kakashi notice a shadow growing beneath him and heard Naruto scream as he fell from above with a kunai in hand.

Without looking, he threw a kunai of his own at the clone faster than it could see, causing it to disappear in puff of smoke. Without breaking a sweat, Kakashi plunged his hand into the earth below him and yanked up a sputtering Naruto by the throat.

"Never pull the same trick on a opponent you have already faced," Kakashi chided as tightened his grip.

"Yeah, I know," he tried to sputter.

There was a loud pop as the kunai the destroyed clone had been holding transformed and raced toward Kakashi with a piece of paper in his hand.

In the blink of an eye, Kakashi swiped the paper out of the clone's hand, smacked it onto the original's forehead, and proceeded to drive a kunai through the skull of the shocked clone.

Kakashi relinquished his grasp of Naruto and raised one hand in a seal. He quietly murmured, "Activate," causing the real Naruto to plummet into the ground leaving a small crater.

"God…dammit…" he muttered through clenched teeth as he struggled to move.

"Remember not to let your opponents use your own moves against you."

Kakashi whipped around and grabbed the wrist of his female student, who had been silently creeping up on him. He continued her forward motion and directed her hand toward the ground. He plunged her glowing hand into the thigh of her blonde teammate, who cried out in pain as his thigh started cramping and his tenketsu was forcibly closed.

"NARU-" she began to scream, but was caught off as Kakashi wrapped her arm uncomfortably behind her back.

She gasped in pain as he tightened his grip. "The same goes for you too Hinata. Be wary of taijutsu users who will aim to redirect your attacks."

Hinata winced from his grip and tried to turn her head to face the man. She stopped when she saw something that made her eyes widen. Instantly, the veins receded from her face and she squeezed her eyes shut. A second later, a kunai harmlessly sailed over her head, right in front of the jounin's face. He was able to glance it and notice a small ball tied to the handle just in time.

'Flashbang,' Kakashi thought before it lit up.

He let go of Hinata as Sasuke raced towards him to take advantage of his momentary blindness.

' _Good. They know not to let up. Each one has been attacking me, one after the other, in an attempt to capitalize on my divided attention. They know they are outmatched so they are resorting to trying to trick me when I'm distracted.'_

Even with his vision impaired, Kakashi and Sasuke began a one-sided taijutsu bout as Hinata stumbled up to Naruto. Her eyes had been closed, but that flash bang had still gone off very close to her.

She rubbed her eyes as she tried to talk to her crush.

"Naruto-kun, how do I undo the gravity seal?"

He grunted as he tried to turn his head to her. "Normally, you'd just form the release sign, but mine are more complicated than that. I designed them so only my chakra could release them. Either I need to form the release sign or I need to force my chakra through the seal. You could try to rip it off, but I'd like to keep the skin on my face. Right now, I'm so weighed down I can't move my arms."

She shook off the blush that threatened to spread across her face as she reached out for his hands. If she could get his fingers into the proper hand sign, he could release the seal. She lightly tugged on his arms, but was now pulling as hard as she could to lift his hand. It wouldn't bulge.

"How strong did you make this thing?"

"About 6 time's Earth's gravity..." he muttered avoiding eye contact.

All right, she needed a new plan. Hinata once again activated her byakguan and knelt beside him. She placed two fingers along his back, just above his heart.

"What are you doing?"

"I am trying to direct the flow of chakra from your heart to your forehead by nudging it along with my own chakra. Please be quiet, I need to focus on carefully maneuvering the chakra out your aorta and through your chakra system. If I move too much, my chakra might cut into your veins. Focus on the area under the seal, and prepare for my signal."

Even through his stiff pain, he was surprised. This was the Hinata he knew, when she went into what he called her "doctor-mode." Gone was the shy and timid girl, and in came the composed, no-nonsense (semi) professional.

She began gently tracing her fingers up his back as she directed the flow of his chakra. Despite the dire situation they were in, he was getting ticklish and tried his best not to squirm. It was odd to say the least as she ran her fingers up and down his back following the chakra flow, and he could help but blush from her touch. She traced her delicate fingers up his neck and along his cheek until finally she said, "Now."

He was blushing up a storm as he squinted his eyes and forced his chakra into the tag. The paper glowed blue before it peeled off his face and fluttered to the ground.

"Th-thank you," he stuttered as he tried to get up. He gasped in pain and collapsed as he held his leg.

"Would you mind?"

"Of course," she smiled as she lightly jabbed the tenketsu in his leg. The built up pressure dissipated as her foreign chakra was removed from his system. They began to smile at one another as Sasuke landed in a heap right next front of them.

"Sasuke-kun!"

"Teme!"

They each grabbed an arm and started to help the panting boy to his feet. He was covered in scratches and marks they could tell would form into nasty bruises.

They all began to glare at their sensei, who was casually strolling up to them.

"This is just the warm up my adorable little genin. For the next month, I am going to be beating you all into the ground so you better get used to this. Come now, no need for frowns. Guess what? Considering what I have in store, Hinata will soon be able to patch you all up in no time. We'll have our own little medic who can heal you up, just so we can start all over again. Doesn't that sound fun?"

The genin were trembling as their doom slowly marched towards them. They couldn't tell if his eye smile was genuine or not. Was he doing it to mess with them or did he really get a kick out of this?

He leaned over them and said, "Let's get to work."

* * *

Two training fields over, Team 8 was having a much more tranquil training session.

Kiba and Shino were sitting in the shade as Akamaru cheered on Sakura, who was sparred with Kurenai.

She breath came out i heavy pants and her whole body was drenched in sweat, but she pushed her exhaustion to the side as she lunged at the older woman. The fresh jounin simply weaved out the way of her punches and landed light taps along her body.

Finally, she held up a hand and said, "Stop. That is enough for now."

Sakura had her hands on her knees as she smiled up at her role model.

"You have come a long way Sakura. I'm very proud of your improvement."

"Thank you sensei," the younger girl beamed.

Kurenai couldn't have been more proud as she stared down at her pupil. There had been some problems early on, but she had made sure to stamp those out quickly. The girl was fiercely intelligent and had the most superb chakra control she had every seen in a genin. While this was due to her smaller than average chakra reserves, it was far easier to increase one's reserves than mastering control.

The girl had simply flourished under the attention of a female mentor. In a world of predominately-male shinobi, it was rare to find a female role model amongst the ranks of their forces. There were always the tales of the legendary Tsunade, but stories could only go so far. Some people needed that model person in their life to guide them along their path of becoming a better person. Kurenai was more than a little humbled when the girl had shown up in attire similar to hers. Instead of her red sleeve, it was pink to match her hair. It was like getting to train her own little protégé, but not quite to the extent that Gai had gone with his student. Sakura had burned through the genjutsu material Kurenai had set out for her in a heartbeat, and was already moving on to develop her own.

Oh, Sakura was her pride and joy, but that didn't mean she wasn't also proud of her other students as well. Kiba's skill in taijutsu was nothing to laugh at, but that was not the main reason she was proud of him. Kiba could be rash and hotheaded, but his personality is what brought the team together. His partner techniques and pack mentality really helped unify the three of them. Of course, Sakura was always there to keep him in line whenever he went to far. A quick bop in the head and he was whimpering like a dog with his tail between his legs. Shino, on the other hand, was quiet and calculative. He would most stay out of most of their conversations and only chime in to propose an outside view of the situation. His analytical mind helped rein in Kiba's impulsiveness and gain points with Sakura. She had originally been put off by the bug user's techniques, but that had been stamped away after her long talk with Kurenai regarding her future as a kunoichi. That was her purpose: the middle ground. She could sometimes be as hotheaded and passionate as Kiba, but also able to take a step back and look at a situation calmly like Shino.

Kurenai smile as she looked over at the boys. "You better look out Kiba. Pretty soon she'll be dropping you in an all out spar."

"Yeah right," Kiba scoffed, "As if she could actually lay a scratch on me. I don't care how much better she's gotten, no little girl-"

He felt a large amount of killing intent and yelped as he stared at the dark figure looming above him. A dark silhouette of his teammate stared down at him. "Oh, what's wrong with being a girl?" the dark figure boomed as it cracked its knuckles.

"N-nothing, Sakura-chan, I-I-I just meant-"

"Oh, I know what you meant. I'm not just very happy about it."

"C-come on S-Sakura-chan," he stuttered as he backed into a tree, "Is all this genjutsu really necessary?"

The dark figure loomed above him with glowing yellow eyes. Pink hair cascaded and whipped around her as a white smile lit up her face.

"Yes, I think it is. Really brings out the fear in your eyes. Besides, all you're seeing is what you think of me. Are you saying you're really afraid of some _"helpless, little girl"?_ "

Kiba whimpered as he braced himself for the impending beat down.

Shino shook his head as he watched the antics of his teammates. Kiba just couldn't keep his big mouth shut. You would think being on a team with a female jounin would beat out that kind of mindset.

It still impressed him how Sakura seemed to be able create genjutsu without even realizing it. Kurenai found out one day as Sakura went off on Kiba for something stupid he did. She was glaring at him while flames seem to flare up behind her and a dark figure loomed over her head. Kurenai had surprised until Shino told her she had been doing this for years. Her class had just grown accustomed to it, unless it was directed at them. Kurenai's eyes had been as wide as stars as she excitedly raced up the girl. It was fantastic. To create genjutsu without needing hand signs or even on purpose created so many possibilities.

Kurenai massaged her forehead as she listened to Kiba's cries of pain. He just couldn't keep a lid on it. "I don't think he's ever going to learn," she said as she turned to Shino.

"Probably not. If he was going to change, he probably would have learned after the third beating."

She sighed as they stared at their antics. All in all, she was very pleased with their progress. They had even gone off on their first C-rank mission. They had gone out to an outpost to pick up some reports, when they had stumbled across a whole encampment of bandits. They had responded perfectly, and they were able to subdue the bandits without a scratch.

However, this was nothing compared to the trouble the other rookie teams had gotten into. Although she had originally been impressed by Asuma's story of the Kumo missing nin, Kakashi's story blew theirs out of the water. Of course it would be Team 7 to turn a D-rank into an A-rank. Well, it was only an A-rank due to presence of the jounin. Even so, Kakashi's kids had been remarkable. Dealing with two Iwa chunins all by themselves.

Their accomplishments made her excited. Maybe it was a little immature, but the three jounin were very competitive, and she wanted to see how well her kids stacked up against the other teams. She would have the perfect chance too. If they kept progressing the way they had, she was confident they would be ready for the chunin exams. Kiba would need to work on his impulsiveness, but she was pretty confident in Shino and Sakura's abilities.

She knew Asuma, and he was probably just as lax in teaching as Kakashi was. She couldn't help but feel a little smug if they were able to wipe the floor with their old classmates. It would certainly make her feel smug to wipe the grin off of Anko's face.

While she was her best friend, she could be a bit overwhelming at times. For whatever reason, she was rooting for Kakashi's group of kids over hers. Just because she was sleeping with the guy didn't mean she had to side with him on everything. She had been adamant that they could, in her own words, "curb stomp your cute little maggots into oblivion." This only motivated Kurenai further to make sure her kids went above and beyond Kakashi's students. She knew the man, and there was no way he was pushing them any harder than he had to.

* * *

"Again." Kakashi ordered.

All three were panting as they stared up at the trees in front of them. They took a deep breath and all three of them rushed up the side of the tree. Sasuke and Naruto were able to make it up about 8 or 9 steps before they lost control. Hinata once again made it all the way up the tree and ran back down. She had already been taught this exercise years ago to help bolster her chakra control. The jyuuken was a style that required expert control of one's own chakra and young Hyuuga were drilled with these exercises from the moment they began training.

The two boys grunted as they landed on their feet, while Hinata ran down the tree. Kakashi gave them a moment to catch their breath as he stared at them. Hinata had this down; he was now just making her do this to increase her reserves. Based on the techniques she had created, she would need a much larger chakra system in order to cope with their drawbacks.

After that initial beatdown, he decided to take it a little more slowly. He was going to ease them into his planned schedule, but that initial spar would serve to show that he could change their pace at any time.

"Very good, Hinata. You'll be moving on to the next step as these two keep working on this."

Both of the boys were frustrated as they glared up at the trees. They had yet to find the right balance and it was continuously throwing them off. With every failed attempt they would just grow angrier, causing them to fail over and over.

"Hai, sensei," Hinata panted, "What is the next step?"

"I'll demonstrate. You two. Pay attention for this. After you are done here, you will be moving on to this as well."

Kakashi began going through hand signs before slamming his hands in the ground.

"Doton: Moving Earth Core."

A square in the dirt formed in front him, and it began to sink into the ground. He kept the jutsu going until there was a 40 square foot hole in front. The others stared at the cube in the ground as Kakashi began running though more seals.

"Sution: Waterfall Cascade."

A large stream of water erupted from his mask and began to fill the hole. As the water level became even with the ground, he cut off the jutsu.

"This is the next step," calmly said as he strolled out onto the surface of the water.

They could only stare in awe as their sensei shattered their view of the world. When he turned back to them, he couldn't help but chuckle. Oh, they were just so precious.

"After you have master tree walking, you can move onto water walking. I will go into detail of the technique with you boys after you have completed the first step," he said as he rejoined them at the pond's edge.

"For now, you to keep going at it until you have it mastered. You will not be moving on until I see fit. Now get back to it."

Newly invigorated the two boys raced off towards the tree as they tried their next attempt.

"Hinata," Kakashi called drawing her attention away from the boys. "I don't expect this to be too much trouble for you, but I expect you to apply yourself just as hard as they are."

"Yes sir!"

"Now, before we get started, I might want to recommend reframing from wearing white clothes over the next few days. I know you like your jacket and it is pretty heavy, but I don't think we need to give the boys any more ideas than necessary."

Hinata was burning as red as a tomato, and Kakashi could swear he saw steam coming out of her ears. "Kakashi-sensei!" she whined as she tried to hide away into her jacket.

He chuckled as he patted her head. "I'm only teasing, but it wouldn't hurt to bring a towel to training either."

She nodded her head as Naruto rang out, "Hey, how come you are being so nice to her?"

"Because she is actually doing a good job. Besides, Hinata-chan is my favorite," Kakashi eye-smiled at the boy.

Her face actually seemed to glow as she tried to bury herself deeper into her jacket.

"You're just saying that to be mean Kakashi-teme," Naruto pouted as a shuriken sailed next to his face.

"Language Naruto."

In fact, there was a reason Kakashi was going lighter on the girl. It was not because she was weaker. Well, not physically anyway.

From what he had heard, negative reinforcement was not going to work on her as it might her teammates. They thrived in the face of a challenge. If the boys were told they couldn't do something, they would throw themselves at it until they had either accomplished it or they died trying. Her own clan had pushed her down for so many years, and all that did was drive her into her shell. She needed to be handled carefully. He couldn't let up on her too much, but she had to know that he thought she was doing a good job. A little praise could go a long way for someone deprived of it. Too much pressure and he could just make matters worse.

"Now, are you ready to get started?"

"Y-yes sir," she nodded as her face calmed down.

"Now the trick is to change the flow of your chakra with the flow of the water…."

* * *

Sasuke growled as he made another mark on the tree. This latest attempt was even further down than this last. He just couldn't get it. He glared daggers at the tree as he landed on his feet. What was it he was doing wrong?

He could understand why Hinata could do it, but why was he having such a hard time? The dobe had been slowly creeping up on him and had past his furthest point a while ago. He wasn't that far ahead, but it still irritated him to be overtaken by the blonde idiot.

He sighed as he sat down to catch his breath. He shot a glare at Kakashi who was off to the side working on a scroll. His orange book had been suspiciously absent, and it was strange to see him without his nose buried in pages of smut. He was apparently writing out his plans for them over the next few weeks.

Naruto landed with a thud next to him and immediately fell on his back. He was panting heavily, and frowned as he stared up at the tree. He was getting better, but he still felt like he was doing something wrong.

He groaned as he sat up and stared out at the water. Hinata was standing in the middle of the pond with her eyes closed in deep concentration. Learning to stand on the water had been the easy part. Keeping her concentration and while moving forward was what eluded her grasp. He blushed when he realized her jacket had been tossed to the side long ago for it was soaked and weighing her down. She stood in her mesh jacket as water dripped down her face from her hair due to her last attempt. It had been a long time since he had seen her without her jacket, and he had forgotten how slender she was.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to clear her mind. She stretched her senses out and let her chakra mingle with the water. Though it appeared calm, she could feel the tiny ripples of its movements as it bounced against the shore. She let it up and down movement flow over her as she tentatively took a step forward. She maintained the rhythm of the water in her mind as she brought her foot down. There was a slight dip, but she adjusted her footing and took another step. Then another. And another.

She was wobbling her away across the water and smiled. She was starting to get it. She opened her eyes to see the two boys staring at her and a blush began creeping up her face. This tiny distraction was all that was needed to break her concentration and she fell into the cold water. She shivered as swam up to shore and pulled herself out of the water. She desperately tried to avoid eye contact with the boys.

Both were blushing as they tried to ignore her wiping herself off with her jacket.

"Boys. Eyes front and center," Kakashi called out, "Hinata very good job. With a day or two, I'm sure you'll have it down. Take a break for now."

The two boys' heads turned around so fast, she was worried they were going to have whiplash. She blushed and called out "Thank you," as she approached them and sat in the middle.

"Sasuke, is your nose feeling better?" she asked.

"Still hurts, but thank you for righting it."

Kakashi backhand earlier had nearly broken his nose. Kakashi had felt a little bad for that. He had made sure it was fully broken after they had their one-on-one bout, while Hinata helped Naruto out of his own seal.

"H-how are you two doing?"

"Not as well as you," Naruto mumbled, "I just can't seem to get it. Every time I fail, I just get more frustrated."

Although Sasuke remained silent, his thoughts were the same as Naruto's.

"Well, m-maybe that is the problem."

They both stared at her as she got up and headed to the tree.

"W-what I was told to do was empty your mind as you attempt it. If you are upset or your mind is clouded it can disrupt your chakra flow, causing you to fall."

"Why is that?" Naruto asked as his face scrunched up.

"Because chakra isn't just some neutral energy source. It responds to our emotions. If we are angry or upset, chakra takes on those characteristics. It will flow wildly and leak from your system. This is what makes it harder to control. If you're calm, it will flow smoothly like water, making it much easier.

Naruto smiled as he jumped to his feet. "Alright! Let's try it!"

He closed his eyes and began taking deep breaths. He stopped smiling, and she noticed he was going into the same frame of mind he went into when he was working on seals. He pushed away his thoughts of irritation and instead focused on the basic kanji for fuinjutsu.

' _Let go of your anger. Let go of your tension.'_

His eyes snapped open and he raced towards the tree. As he raced up his heart pounded as he neared his previous record, and he was delighted as he flew past it and kept on going. He went about 8 more steps and started getting excited before he began to overload the chakra in his feet and he slipped from the bark. He slashed the tree as he fell back towards the ground. The landed with a thud and slipped onto his back.

Although it had hurt, he was ecstatic. Her advice had worked. As Hinata raced over to check that he was all right, he enveloped her in a big hug and started spinning her around. He seemed to have no problems as the drenched girl soaked his clothes.

"THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! YOUR'E THE BEST HINATA-CHAN!"

Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she became limp in his grasp.

Sasuke stared at them as he fumed over her comments. Of course.

It was so simple.

It infuriated him he hadn't thought of it before. The same train of thought applied to anything. The angrier you were, the harder it was to concentrate. The more analytical side of his mind was intrigued that it would apply to chakra as well.

As he thought this over, a new thought burst into his head.

Is that why he had said that?

Was that his goal?

He was instantly transported back to that night, as his brother stood of the fresh corpses of his mother and father. That night was forever burned into his memory. His brother had made sure of that.

" _ **If you want to kill me… Curse me. Hate me. And live a long unsightly life**_ _."_

Was that why he had done it? So when they had their inevitable face off, Sasuke would be so blinded by rage that his chakra and mind would be off balance. Had he really thought that far ahead?

He clenched his fist as he stared up at the tree. ' _I will not let my brother control my destiny anymore!'_

He took a deep breath and thought of clouds to calm himself. His eyes shot open and he raced towards the tree full tilt. He soared past his previous mark and made several steps before the image of his brother's face came back into his mind. His concentration shattered and his chakra slipped from the tree trunk. He began falling and slammed his kunai into the bark to slow his descent. He jumped off and rolled to his feet before he stared at the tree. He had certainly surpassed his previous record, but it was nowhere good enough.

'So they are finally starting to get it," Kakashi mused.

His teammates offered their words of encouragement, but Sasuke ignored them as he faced his latest problem. this was something that would directly affect his final battle with his brother and could potentially save him on the road to reach him.

He needed to find a way to calm himself.

As he thought this over, a new problem surprised him.

What put him at ease? What were things that he actually liked to do?

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 *****Read review corner for response to guest review*****

 **I think I can understand now why Kishimoto hates writing about romance between his characters. How do smut writers actually do this shit? (Probably cause they don't care too much about the characters). I mean, I love the relationship between Naruto and Hinata, but it kind of felt awkward to have to write some of it out for the first time. (Cute moments are so much easier. I think its just ogling which made it slightly uncomfortable to write.)**

 **Anyways, we're getting along through training, and I'm glad to talk about how Sakura is doing. She will get some cool fights later. The whole idea of Inner Sakura seemed wasted to me, and I intend to go places with it.**

 **The end of the chapter is to set up more stuff for Sasuke in their free time. He is either off moping or training, and like I said last time, it can get dull. As I've said before, Naruto has his fuinjutsu studies and Hinata has her clan problems, so Sasuke needs something to do to push him forward as a character as well.**

 **Thank you for all of your reviews. Always helps and sometimes help shape the story (looking at you reviewer who made the joke about the** **Kurenai/Asuma/Kakashi conversation). Please leave a review (longer the better), and I will see you guys next time.**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To Lioness of the Leaf) Couldn't have said it better myself. Breaks are necessary or people get bored of the mindless action. I can't tell you how many fics I've read that have had fights that go on for like 5 chapters. Sometimes this is necessary, but not when it is every fight.**

 **(To Libra-no-ninja) I'm flattered, but I don't know if that's the best idea. I can see both sides of the argument for choosing this method, but I really think just reading stuff like newspapers or actually published books might be better. People on the sight are much more prone to grammatical errors. Then again, people aren't always grammatically correct in everyday discussion. If it's helping you, I'm glad to be of assistance.**

 **(To Libra-no-ninja)(Again) Why are all the nations always targeting Konoha? Good question, but I think that is more due to the original series and the impressions made from part 1. In this story, Iwa doesn't necessarily want war with Konoha. The Tsuchikage realizes there is no point, and has no intention to lash out at them. Youth is a different story. His followers are driven by anger and resentment for the loss of their loved ones, and they are very prejudiced against Konoha.**

 **Kumo isn't involved too much in this story, but they really have no reason to strike out. Their economy is booming due to their ability to create energy, and they are far away from the other nations. Kiri is wrapped up in a civil war right now, and it has no plans for the outside world. However, I may have some plans for it, but that will come with time.**

 ********(To Guest Reviewer)********

 **Why was Ria mentioned? If you didn't know, I have updated Chapter 14 and I have added another section to the Author's notes, which goes into detail about Ria's role in the story. You might want to check it out.**


	16. Chapter 16 - Release the Hounds

Chapter 16 – Release the Hounds

Kakashi was pleased as he stared down at the exhausted forms of his little genin. Everyone was panting, and Sasuke especially had some nasty bruises forming.

The boys were certainly coming along. In a day or two, he was certain that they would have the tree walking exercise mastered. Given her astounding control, he was sure Hinata would have water walking down around the same time.

Hinata was draped in Kakashi's flack jacket and shivering due to the water clinging to her form. While it wouldn't cover her arms, it would certainly warm her back and chest. Konoha's specialized flak jackets were designed for use in every environment. They were light enough for use in the deserts of Suna, and they had heating pads activated by chakra for the cold, harsh winters of Iron country.

"Now, I'm pleased with your efforts for day one. In the morning, we'll start with another spar before practicing what we learned today. We'll go over the full details of your regiment tomorrow. I expect you all on time, or the punishment will be severe."

All three shuddered as their injuries from this morning served as a painful reminder of how harsh Kakashi could be.

"Hinata, just bring the jacket with you tomorrow morning, and remember to bring a towel. You guys are dismissed." With that, he disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

When he was sure the man was gone, Naruto scrunched his face, "I bet he thinks he's sooo cool when he does that. Baka-sensei."

The three groaned as they started to shuffle their way back towards the village. Sasuke winced with every step he took. He wanted to complain, but this is what he had wanted. His sensei was finally getting serious about their training.

'However,' he thought as he rubbed his nose, 'I just wish he could be a little gentler about it.'

As Naruto started to whine to Hinata about Kakashi's supposed favoritism, Sasuke's thoughts returned to the question that had hounded him as he tried again and again to climb up the tree.

What did he like to do?

What put him at ease?

As he had made it clear in his introduction, Sasuke didn't like many things. He never really interacted with his fellow classmates when he had been in the academy and he didn't really have any hobbies. If he sat around, he would end up thinking about his family. If he tired himself out training, he only delayed the inevitable.

He clenched his fist and scowled. Even after 5 years, his brother was still controlling his life.

Hinata had noticed Sasuke's change in temperament, as the west entrance to the village came into view. She reached out and tugged at his arm, forcing him to look at her.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine," he muttered as he tried to remove his arm from her grasp, but she would not let go.

"Please tell me what's wrong," she pleaded.

"I said I'm fine."

He yanked his arm from her grasp, and without another word, he started heading off towards his apartment.

Naruto crossed his arms and stared at Sasuke's retreating form. "Stupid teme. That was rude. Why does he always have to act like something crawled up his ass? I'm sorry Hinata-chan. You didn't deserve that."

She was silent and rubbed her fingers. "It's alright. I'm still worried something is bothering him," she sighed as she stared off in the direction he had left.

Naruto was silent as he reflected on his conversation with Kenta-san. He was reminded how little he actually knew about Sasuke. He had let his pride prevent him from reaching out to him for years. Maybe it was time that he finally did something.

"I think we should have a talk with him," Hinata said.

"I'm open to it, but I don't think he's going to open up without some resistance. He's as thickheaded as I am!"

She lightly chuckled at his attempt to cheer her up, as she reached out and lightly tapped his head with her knuckle. "You certainly are that. You two can both be so silly."

Naruto chuckled as he rubbed his head. "Okay, if we run into him before training, we'll try to talk to him then. Sounds good?"

"Hai."

"Great. Now let's get you home before you catch a cold. Can't have the village's greatest med-nin in training falling sick on me.

* * *

As it turned out, they didn't run into Sasuke the next morning. In fact, he did not arrive until a minute before Kakashi appeared. Hinata was quick to return his neatly folded and washed flak jacket.

"Thank you Hinata," he smiled as he threw on the jacket.

"Alright now gather round and listen up."

They were hesitant. Apparently their lesson from yesterday was still fresh in their mind.

Good.

"You're not going to sucker punch me again are you?" Naruto asked.

"Only if you let me," Kakashi replied with a smile.

"It was a cheap shot."

"There are no cheap shots in our line of work. Now circle up and listen. Here's how things are going to work. Every morning we will begin with a taijutsu spar similar to the one you had yesterday. You will have to work together to fend me off for 30 minutes using every trick in your arsenal. This will force you to come up with new tactics every day. You did well yesterday, but you are going to have to keep up that momentum. After that we will take a 20-minute breather. I'd advise skipping breakfast and eating during this period instead. When that is done, we will move on to individual lessons, where I will take time with each of you."

Everyone's eyes lit up at that prospect.

"However, we will not begin this until all of you have mastered the water walking exercise. Think of it as a little extra incentive to work harder. After a few hours, we will begin group conditioning, which I'm certain you will enjoy."

His pleasant voice sent shivers down their spines.

"After that, we'll break again for food and return an hour later. You can go into the village if you want, but anyone who is late will lose their personal time the next day and instead use their time doing what we in ANBU called suicide sets. Trust me. They are quite unpleasant."

The color drained from their faces, as each of them understood the gravity of such punishment. All hopes of sneaking off to Ichiraku were dashed out of Naruto's mind.

Kakashi continued, "After the meal, we will have one-on-one spars before calling it a night. This schedule can change in any way I see fit, but this is the base form we will follow. We will meet every day except Sunday, which will be used to relax. Any strenuous activity is forbidden. The amount of effort your muscles will be going through will require a day to release and heal, and if I find out you ignored my warnings, looking at you boys, that just means I'm not working you hard enough. Am I understood?"

The group nodded in unison and he smiled. "Good. Any questions?"

A unison headshake was his response. "Very well. By the way Sasuke, how is your face feeling?"

"Better, no thanks to you," he grumbled as he rubbed his nose.

"Really?" he smiled before he swung an uppercut straight to his chin sending him flying back. "I'll have to fix that."

Sasuke slammed into the ground and felt as if his body had been paralyzed. He couldn't move!

Naruto and Hinata jumped back and took positions in front of their fallen teammate. Their legs were shaking as Kakashi slowly walked towards them cracking his knuckles.

"Team Tactics Lesson 32: Protecting an injured comrade. Let's begin."

* * *

20 painful minutes later, a black blur paused and stared out over the field. He had been heading west anyway, but Kitsune took a moment to watch as Kakashi beat into his new team.

Kitsune was described by his peers as cold and reserved, so it always shocked them whenever he made a snide remark to infuriate the blonde blur that would race into the Hokage's office from time to time. He let out a dark chuckle as Kakashi ripped through a line of clones and nailed the blonde in the gut. Maybe he really was the sadist his fellow ANBU members said he was.

As Kakashi held off Sasuke, who had recovered by this point, he noticed their silent observer in the trees. He quickly grabbed Sasuke's leg mid-swing and Naruto's face, who had been creeping up behind him, and launched them at their third teammate, who was still recovering from a nasty blow to the side.

He used the distraction of their collision to start signing to his longtime ANBU subordinate. Kitsune responded to his greetings and signed to him 'graveyard mission.' Kakashi signed back 'good hunting' before returning his attention to his three students who were starting to get back up.

Naruto growled as he and his teammates starred daggers at the jounin.

Kitsune chuckled one last time before he continued on his path out of the village. He had been assigned another graveyard mission and every second counted. ANBU had dubbed this moniker to missions that were considered dormant or dead. Due to a lack of evidence, some missions were never solved and remained open for years. However, sometimes the Hokage saw fit to take another crack at these cases by diverting some of his finest agents to take a look at the case from another perspective. His current mission regarded a 3-year-old case many had given up on and considered unfortunate circumstance.

While his expertise mainly lay in combat, he was also one of ANBU's leading investigators and forensic specialists. Due to his special skills in tracking and fierce determination, the Hokage went out of his way to send his loyal hellhound on what many considered unsolvable cases.

He hadn't disappointed him yet.

He had been assigned 8 graveyard cases over the 14 years he had served in ANBU. Some took him only months, others took years. They were a heavy commitment, but he would always take the time to ensure each case had a resolution.

This one would be no different.

He continued his silent journey as he raced off towards the boundaries of Fire and Rain country.

* * *

(Hours later)

Sasuke and Naruto raced up the trees once again and again, slowly improving on their previous records. Hinata was out on the manmade pond taking careful steps over the water. To avoid the same problems as yesterday, she had been sure to bring a bathing suit with her this time. Nothing fancy. Just a modest one piece that matched the color of her hair. Her clothes and a towel were neatly folded off the to the side.

Kakashi glanced at his watch. They were making good time. Thanks to her advice the previous day, the boys were really making steady progress. It surprised him that Naruto seemed to find his center of peace easier than Sasuke. Then again, the boy had always been an oxymoron: loud and impulsive, yet breezed through the most difficult shinobi art like copy paper.

He chalked it up to his Uzumaki heritage.

He counted down the last seconds before he called out for them to stop.

He was glad this had not drained too much from them. Sasuke was only lightly panting, and Hinata also seemed slightly winded while she dried her hair. Of course, Naruto was still bouncing full of energy.

He would have to fix that.

"Alright. Good work team. If you keep at this pace, I expect you boys will have this down by tomorrow. With Hinata's help, I'm sure you'll have water walking down in no time."

Hinata blushed at the compliment and the boys looked excited.

Kakashi definitely was impressed. He was especially surprised by Naruto's performance. He had initially been very worried about how he would handle the boy's chakra control. To put it in perspective, his own chakra reserves were like a small lake, but Naruto's were comparable to an ocean. That much built up chakra had certainly caused him grief during his time at the academy. Studying fuinjutsu had done wonders for him. While his control was nowhere near his teammates', it was acceptable for now.

"Now then, after Hinata has changed, we will begin our group conditioning." When he saw them seize up he said, "Don't worry. It won't be too bad on the first day. Just a simple jog around the village."

They each let out a sigh, and Kakashi had a hard time stopping himself from chuckling. 'Oh they have no idea.'

"Throwing around ninjutsu, and in your case fuinjutsu, can only get you so far. In some cases, pure taijutsu can be enough to overshadow both of these. It doesn't matter how powerful your jutsu is if you can't hit your opponent."

He knew this was a lesson Naruto had already taken to heart, which reminded him of something he had been meaning to bring up to the blonde. Hinata went off to change behind the trees, and Kakashi was about to call Naruto over, when the blonde stormed over to the other boy.

"You should apologize to Hinata-chan for last night," he said as he glared at him.

"What for?"

"You were rude to her! She was just trying to make sure you were okay. You didn't need to snap at her."

"Why don't you mind your own business?" he snapped.

"Because my friends are my business. So stop being such a jerk and apologize, when she gets back."

After a moment of silence he uttered, "Fine." He sighed before continuing, "You're right. I may have snapped at her. I just had a lot on my mind."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," he glared at him.

"...want to talk about it with me?"

"No!"

"Boys! If you're done, I'd like to see you for a moment," Kakashi cut in.

They stopped their bickering and walked up to Kakashi. He was glad they were able to work things out without Hinata intervening. They needed to be able to defuse a situation without her presence.

"Better. Now Naruto, what can you tell me about your so called lightning rod seals?"

"How did you hear about that?"

"I read about it in your exam reports. I heard about how you stole the show with your performance. Iruka was especially vocal about your performance."

Naruto lightly blushed as he excitedly started rambling away about the complexities of drawing the electric field, creating an abundance of protons to attract the electricity, and more technical physics jargon that went way over Sasuke's head.

"How hard would it be for you to make more of them?"

"They take a bit of time, but they aren't too complicated. I can make some more if you really need them."

"I'll admit your idea seems very useful, especially since my primary affinity is lightning."

Naruto's eyes widened as a grin split apart his face. "You got it sensei! Oh this is so awesome! I get to see some field tests first hand! I got to make sure I'm ready for-"

He continued muttering to himself, as Sasuke slowly edged towards Kakahsi. He leaned in and whispered, "He doesn't consider that complicated?"

"I was just as lost as you were," Kakashi whispered back.

Something clicked in his head, and Sasuke asked, "How does one find out their chakra affinity?"

"Now, now. We'll get to that in due time. The test itself is extremely simple and barely takes a second, but it's not time to start elemental training."

"Actually Kakashi-sensei, I was curious too," Naruto butted in, "Why does your chakra affinity matter anyway? Jiji can throw around any element he wants."

"Well, your chakra affinity doesn't really limit the type of jutsu you can perform, but it does affect how strong each can be. You'll find that is easier to learn and master jutsu of your own chakra nature than with others. Some people prefer to stick with the type they are strongest with, but I find this foolish. Limiting yourself to one type hurts your ability to adapt and allows your opponent to prey on your element's weakness. Now elemental training is something that we won't deal with until your chunin. It mostly involves gaining a better understanding of your element and helping you develop your own jutsu."

The boys nodded as Hinata jogged up fully changed.

"Umm Hinata."

She turned to him and was surprised, when he refused to make eye contact. He mumbled something under his breath so softly she could barely hear him.

"What was that Sasuke?"

He took a deep breath and looked at her and said, "I'm sorry."

She was surprised and opened her mouth to ask a question , but he continued, "I apologize for my behavior last night. I shouldn't have snapped at you. I just had something on my mind."

Hinata smiled as she stared at him. She slightly bowed and said, "I appreciate that Sasuke-kun. I forgive you."

Kakashi smiled at his team. "Glad everything worked out. Alright, before we begin, there are some people I'd like you to meet."

He pulled out a kunai and made a cut along his finger. Hinata gasped but he pressed on and pulled out a scroll from his jacket. Forming four hand signs, he slammed his hand into the ground eliciting a cloud of white smoke.

The smoke cleared to reveal Kakashi in the midst of a group of dogs with blue bandanas.

"Team, I'd like you to meet my ninken. They've been very excited to meet you." The dogs raced forward and enveloped Hinata. She giggled as they jumped up to lick her face. She reached down and picked up a small brown pug. "Look at you! You're so cute! You have such lovely, straight fur. And your paws, they are so soft!"

"Thank you miss. Not many people understand how hard it is to keep my fur this clean. Although I would prefer it if you didn't call me cute."

"I apologize inu-san. I will refrain from calling you that in the future." The pug smiled as Hinata enveloped it in another hug.

"I didn't know you had a summoning contract," Sasuke said as he reached down for the dogs to sniff his hand.

"I don't," Kakashi replied, "They are just linked to a summoning jutsu through the mark on their bandanas."

"Besides tracking what else can they do?" Sasuke asked as Shiba rubbed his face into Sasuke's hand. Sasuke had surprisingly always done well with animals.

"More than you can cat-boy," the pug uttered as it focused its blank look on him.

"Now be nice Pakkun. Team; let me introduce Pakkun, Bull, Urushi, Shiba, Biscuit, Akino, Uhei, and Guruko. I've trained them since I was a little older than you. They can speak, are expert trackers, and have saved my hide on more missions than I can count," Kakashi stated proudly.

"That is so cool! Hey little buddy-" Naruto said reaching out before Bull started growling at him. "Whoa, whao! What did I do?" he asked as he stepped back.

"Bull, was that necessary?" Kakashi chided.

"He smells," was all Bull replied.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" exploded Naruto.

"Maybe he's just calling it as it is," Sasuke butted in.

"Shut up! I showered before I came here! We haven't been sweating that badly."

"He reeks of fox," Bull said bluntly as he stared into Naruto's eyes.

"So you all already know about summoning?" Kakashi cut in before the conversation could head down an uncomfortable direction. Naruto was thankful for the save and started petting the much more approachable Biscuit.

Sasuke nodded as he scratched Shiba behind the ears. "My clan used to have strong connections with the cats. There was never a formal contract scroll, but we had a strong trade alliance. They would supply weapons for us, and sometimes allow us to summon them in a similar manner you do."

"My clan also has a summoning scroll, but not many people are allowed to sign it. While they are loyal to the clan, the summons are very picky about who they choose," Hinata piped in.

"Really?" Kakashi was surprised. He had never heard of the Hyuuga owning a summoning contract. How long have they had it? "How many people in the clan are currently allowed to use the scroll? Or is that too private?"

"No sir," she seemed to look down and shuffle her feet as she continued, "t-there's o-only one p-person allowed to use it."

"Is it your father?"

She violently shook her head as a blush started to form. "N-no…"

That surprised him. The summons were so choosey they wouldn't even let the hierarch call them? "Can you tell me who it is?"

Her blush darkened as she stuttered, "I-I-It's m-me…""

"Really know?" Kakashi said lightly surprised, as the boys stared at her. She gripped Pakkun closer to her chest in an attempt to hide her face.

Naruto raced up to her and exclaimed, "WOW! You can summon too? That's so awesome Hinata-chan! What kind of animal is it? Can you show us? Can you do it right now? Why kind of jutsu does it know?"

Naruto continued to rapid-fire questions at her, and her blush only grew darker and darker.

"Naruto, please give Hinata some space. I'd rather she didn't use up her chakra attempting to summon, when we are about to start your conditioning. There is always later."

Hinata sent him a look of thanks as she set Pakkun back on the ground. Sasuke was about to speak up when Kakashi loudly whistled and his dogs raced over and sat down alongside him.

They were instantly alert as Kakashi raised a fist, and all of the dogs started growling at them.

"What's going-"

"They are here to help motivate you three today. Guys, whoever catches one of them first gets angus steak tonight and an extra serving of peanut butter on the side."

The dogs seemed to smile as they menacingly barred their teeth at the genin.

"You wouldn't really let them harm us right sensei?" Naruto attempted to chuckle.

"I don't know. Do you really want to find out? They'll stop only when I say so. By the way, thank you so much for allowing them to get your scents earlier."

They each paled as they realized they had been duped.

"I think a 10 second head start is fair enough," Kakashi said and they each disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"I think that's too generous Kakashi," Pakkun said.

"You're right. 5 should be enough. Sick em."

* * *

Akamaru stopped sniffing at the grass and stared off into the trees.

"Hmm, what's up buddy?" Kiba asked.

Akamaru started growling and barking towards the woods.

"Kiba, what's going on?" Kurenai asked.

"Not sure. Something's got him riled up. I don't know what it-" He paused as he sniffed the air. He smelled it too. They all started to hear faint screaming, which was rapidly growing louder and louder. They stared in the direction Akamaru was pointing in as they started to see forms in the woods.

"What is-"

Kurenai was cut off as Team 7 burst through the trees sprinting right towards them. Naruto was leading the pack screaming his head off as they raced towards them. What was going on?

"Excuse me! Pardon me! Coming through! Gotta go," Naruto rambled off he dashed through Team 8.

"Hinata, what is going o-"

"Sorry sensei, no time," Hinata shouted as she and Sasuke raced past them as well.

"What is going on?" Sakura asked as several forms crashed through the tree line. She lost her breath as 8 dogs were charging straight at them. She began to reach for a kunai, when they shifted around them and stormed off after Team 7.

They all stood there in a daze as they tried to comprehend what they had just seen.

"What the hell was that?" Kiba exclaimed.

After a moment of silence, Kurenai softly said, "It appears Kakashi is having fun with his students." Team 8 blinked at her as they stared off where Team 7 had left. What kind of sadistic sensei did they have?

* * *

Naruto lead the charge as the three of them sprinted through the streets of town. They weaved their way through the streets with the pack right on their heels. They jumped over, and in some cases, through caravans and wagons, as they made their way through the city.

"Right turn, now!" Naruto yelled and the other two followed him without a second thought.

Hinata's stomach lurched as she turned into the alley and saw it was a dead end. Naruto raced ahead, slid while turning around, and crossed his fingers together. Sasuke raced past her and planted his feet in Naruto's hands. He heaved up and sent Sasuke flying into the air. After a few seconds, Sasuke planted his feet against the wall and started running up the side. He started slowing down as he reached the top and jumped just in time to grab hold of the roof's edge.

Hinata caught on and raced towards him as she started to hear the barking drawing closer. He catapulted her up and she easily adhered to the wall, making it to the top without a problem. They both stared down at Naruto, who was now facing down the pack hurtling straight towards him.

He crossed his fingers together and three clones appeared. The first two grabbed hold of the other's arms and flung them up in the air. The original twisted and kicked off from his clone's feet and propelled himself up the wall. He hit the ground running and the other two caught him when he started to slip near the roof.

They took the moment to take a breath and stared down at the dogs below. They tore into the blonde's clones and he winced as the feeling of their sharp fangs entered his mind.

"At least we'll be safe up here," Naruto sighed.

A second later, Shiba and Uhei started racing up the wall towards them.

"You had to jinx it didn't you," Sasuke growled as they turned to continue their pursuit on the rooftops.

* * *

It must have been a funny sight. Seeing three 12 year old jumping and racing along the rooftops as a horde of dogs chased after them. They pushed more chakra through their legs when they had to bridge large gaps. When they tried to cross the street, Naruto would summon a tower of clones on each other's shoulders, allowing them to get across.

"This is getting ridiculous!" Sasuke growled as he reached into his pouch for some wire. The pack was temporarily out of sight. They had jumped down to the streets below before heading up the walls to rejoin them on the roofs.

"Normally I'd suggest splitting up, but I don't see how that would do us much good," Naruto panted, "We seem to be doing better working together." He summoned five clones and Sasuke tossed two of them his trap. They began setting it up as the other three helped propel the team over a slightly large gap.

"Here they come," Hinata warned as she watched them with her byakugan.

The dogs raced after them setting off the trip wire, causing the two in the lead to be caught by their legs. The rest of the pack pounced and destroyed the lingering clones before Bull came up and easily snapped the wire. Sasuke cursed that he couldn't use any of his jutsu. They were predominantly fire, and it would be hazardous to discharge them in a civilian environment. Even then, he doubt it would stop them and it would only drain at his energy

"Well, right now I'm open to suggestions, cause we don't seem to be slowing them down that much." Sasuke glanced back. They had been only slightly set back and were easily making up their lost ground.

"I may have an idea," Hinata piped in, "but it may leave us in worse condition than before."

"I'm all ears."

"We could use Naruto-kun's technique to teleport away from them, but even if we hid, they can still track us. It would also leave Naruto-kun extremely sick, which would slow us down tremendously."

"I've never tried transporting two people at once. I'd never even tried it with someone else before Hinata-chan on our mission."

"But could you manage it?" Sasuke cut in.

Naruto flashed him a look of determination. "If you guys need me to, I'll make it work."

"Alright, here's what we'll do."

* * *

Pakkun lead the charge as they soared after the team. They had been at this for a couple hours now. Sooner or later, they would start to get tired.

His eyes sharpened as the blonde brought his hands together to summon more clones. He was shocked as around 100 of them burst out of the cloud of smoke. The ninken were immediately on edge, but were surprised when they all went away from them. They each dashed off into the village in different directions.

"Are we sure they didn't switch with a clone?" Akino asked.

Pakkun sniffed the air and stared at the kids ahead of him. "Nope. That's still them. I don't know what they are up to, but get ready for anything."

They team started leading them towards the edge of the village, and before they knew it, they were racing out the front gate. The chunin on guard had yelled at them as they passed, but they paid him no mind. They raced off into the woods, and Pakkun was growing more and more suspicious. Just what did they think they were up to?

Finally, they stopped and turned towards the pack. Pakkun barked once and they all came to a halt. What did they think they were doing?

They were panting heavily as they stared at the dogs 10 feet away from them. Naruto flashed them a grin as he reached into his bag.

"It's been a blast guys, but we'll see you later."

Hinata and Sasuke grabbed hold of his shoulders, and all three disappeared in a flash of light.

The dogs simply stared at the lingering glimmer. 'So he actually did it,' Pakkun thought, 'the kid really learned the Hiraishin.'

Still he knew that the blonde would need a marker. Which meant it would have to be somewhere along the way they had came. Then the realization hit him. That storm of clones had been a distraction for a single clone to get away with the marker. There was no way of telling which direction he could have gone.

Pakkun would of chuckled if he wasn't so frustrated. The kids weren't the only ones who were tired. He turned back to the pack and said, "All right. We have a lot of ground to cover. We're splitting up to find them. They have to be somewhere in the village. We had better start looking."

* * *

A single clone stood in the middle of the woods holding the three-pronged kunai as he waited for the return of the original. There was a bright flash and suddenly all three genin materialized before him. Sasuke staggered as he tried to orient himself.

The clone reached out and helped the blonde as he fell on his hands and knees and began violently throwing up. Hinata rubbed his back as he repeatedly regurgitated his stomach. When she started to notice blood mixed in, she began to worry. Finally, his convulsions stopped, and he began to breath normally.

"Are you okay?"

"No. No, no, no, no. That was the worst it has ever been," Naruto uttered as he clenched the grass in his fists.

He was shaking as Hinata helped him up. Naruto turned to his clone and tried to offer him a smile. "Thanks me."

"Anytime boss," he smirked before he puffed away.

Hinata started to carry him, and was surprised when Sasuke grabbed his other arm. He didn't say anything and the three of them started heading off through the woods.

After a while, Sasuke turned to him and smirked. "Like I said before dobe. It's a little creepy to talk to yourself. Especially when something talks back."

"Shut up," he muttered weakly. He felt as if a hole had been torn in his stomach. He felt his body heating up as the pain started to ever so slowly edge away.

"Naruto, these effects can't be normal. You need to see a doctor about this," Hinata chimed in.

"Nah, I'll be right as rain in a few hours. I just don't know what the problem is Hinata-chan."

She wanted to press the issue but Sasuke cut in.

"Where the hell did you even learn that jutsu in the first place?" Sasuke asked.

Even through his exhaustion, Naruto was still anxious about revealing the origin of his secret technique.

"Why do you want to know?"

"I'm just curious. That's a complicated technique, and I'm certain the Fourth Hokage didn't come back from the dead to teach you."

Naruto was stunned as he and Hinata stared at Sasuke. He was silent before he asked, "How long have you known?"

"It came to me after I was thinking about our last mission. Wasn't that hard to put two and two together. The 'yellow flash' really gives it away."

"Sorry for not talking about it."

"Don't be. I didn't bring it up to you, so there is no reason for you to feel sorry. The only thing you need to worry about is fixing that dam problem. Honestly, you'd be strongest genin in the village if you could fix that shit out."

"I _would_ be?" he smirked up at him.

"Not there yet, seal master. You might be faster than me, but you're still not quite at my level," Sasuke smirked at him.

Naruto was surprised before smiling, and they continued on at steady pace.

They had done it. They had gotten away, and they were probably going to stay hidden for the rest of the day. They knew that the dogs could easily sniff them out if they stayed in the village. So there only a few spots they could go. They had to go somewhere the pack wouldn't expect and that already had their scent.

He almost smiled as they entered the clearing of training ground 7. The meandered their way over to the training posts as lay Naruto against the training posts. They found themselves taking spots sitting right next to him.

Naruto closed his eyes and smiled, "I don't think we need to worry about them for awhile."

"What did I tell you about jinxing us?" Sasuke lightly reprimanded.

"Come on. A true ninja never believes in superstitions," he chuckled.

"Coming from the guy scared of ghosts," he smirked back.

If he hadn't been so tired, he would have jumped up. "I-I don't know what you're t-talking about," he exclaimed.

Hinata lightly giggled and Sasuke smirked as he closed his eyes and leaned against the pole. A pleasant quietness fell over them, as they each got comfortable against the pole. They leaned against him, and the warmth from their bodies filled him with a feeling he hadn't really felt before. Soon enough, they started to drift to sleep one by one.

Although he was the most tired, Naruto was the last one to kneel to slumber. Before he drifted off, he glanced between the people leaning against his sides.

His eyes fluttered and he had one thought before sleep claimed him.

 _So this is what having a family is like._

* * *

Kakashi watched from the trees as the final head bobbed down. He made four hand seals and lightly pressed the ground, revealing Pakkun.

"Kakashi? What's up? We were in the middle of the search."

"I can see that," he said as he pointed at the sleeping genin.

"Oh," he whispered as he spied them, "I'd rather not disturb them."

"Neither would I. They have done some good work in the last few days. They deserve a break. Tell the others to call off their search. I think they are done for the day."

"You really care for these kids. You can be so soft, Kakashi."

"Maybe."

"Alright then, I'll tell them, but before I go-,"

He trotted out into the field towards the sleeping genin. He quietly crept up and lightly gnawed on Naruto's sandal, before triumphantly trotting back to Kakashii. He smugly looked at Kakashi and said, "Now I get the steak for dinner."

Kakashi chuckled and scratched behind his ears, "I guess you do. Get going. I'll see you at home."

Pakkun nodded and set out as Kakashi stared at his team enjoying a blissful sleep.

Sensei would have been proud.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Actually forgot to do this part before I published the chapter. I was just so excited when I finished it. If you read it the moment it came out, you might want to read it again, since I added and changed some things. Anyways, good to get another chapter out there. Feedback has been amazing as ever. Please leave a comment in the review section if you feel like it (the longer the better). Always helps with the creative process.**

 **As of this moment, the story has 400 followers! We also reached a new milestone of 3.51 thousand views in a single day. It is still shocking and means a lot. Thanks guys (and gals).**

 **(Update)**

 **Fixed a lot of spelling problems. Spell check kept changing Kakashi to Karachi without me noticing.**

 *****Reminder*****

 **In case you missed it, the author's notes in chapter 14 have been revised to include a short summary of the new character introduced in that chapter. I took the time to share some thoughts on her introduction and it may clarify some things. Since I enjoy teasing you guys, here is a clue for something in the future. An event tied to her backstory was in this chapter.**


	17. Chapter 17 - Private Sessions

Chapter 17 – Private Sessions

"There you are! What have I told you about going off on your own?" her mother chided.

The little girl seemed embarrassed as she clutched he small teddy bear to her chest. She had been tired of being in that tiny wagon for so long, and she wanted to run around and play.

"I'm sorry kaa-chan," she muttered.

"It's alright dear, but you need to be careful. If you stay out here in the rain too long you'll catch a cold. Now let's had back," she said as she offered her hand.

The little girl nodded and the two of them began heading back to the caravan. They had been traveling for weeks now, and while the mother was glad that her daughter had a chance to stretch her legs, it was also very dangerous for her to go off on her own.

As always in this country, the rain never seemed to end. They were drenched as the two set out through the mud soaked hills back towards the distant light of the campsite.

"How much longer do we have to go mommy? I'm tired of sitting in the wagon!"

"I'm sorry sweetie, but I'm afraid we'll have to travel a little longer. We're almost to the Land of Rivers, and then we'll be out of this nasty rain."

"But why? Where are we going?"

"I'm afraid even I don't know quite yet honey. All I know is that when we get there you'll have all the free time you could want. We'll even be on a beach!"

"Really?"

"Oh yes, and then you and your brothers can play as long as you wa-"

She was cut off as a ball of fire erupted from the light in the distance. Immediately, the woman was on guard.

"Mommy! What's happening?"

She was silent as her eyes scanned the area around her. She swooped up her daughter so fast that she dropped her stuffed animal.

"TEDDY!" the little girls screamed as she grasped towards her dropped toy.

"Please be quiet honey. It is very important."

"But-"

"Hush!"

The little girl was immediately silent as her mother angrily glanced at her. Her mother raced off towards the campsite, and the little girl started to tear up as her precious companion was left behind in the mud.

In the tall grass, several eyes stared at their retreating forms and began swiftly following them. One set, however, did not give chase.

The last person casually walked forward and stared down at the mud-caked form of the stuffed animal. Raising his fingers in a hand sign, the world melted away revealing Kitsune standing in front of a pile of mud. He pocketed the wooden totem in his hand as he reached into the mud to and pulled out an object. He delicately tried to scrape away the mud and grime and let the rain wash away the years of accumulated filth to reveal a pair of glass eyes staring back at him.

To think it had sat there for three years waiting for its master's return. The thing was so tattered; it was surprising the thing hadn't fallen apart. He was silent as he stored away the tiny creature into the sealing scroll on his forearm.

This was his first stop on his mission. He gazed along the barren fields of Rain country as his eyes settled on a dark silhouette in the distance. He raced over and found the charred remains of a wagon.

The vehicle was half submerged in mud and covered in moss. The wheels were broken and there were several holes torn through the drenched canvas. He looked inside the wreckage and gazed upon what was left of the vehicle. Any documents or luggage that had been aboard had long been scavenged by the occupants of the area. All that was left was a lone body lying against the canvas. Kitsune stepped forward and yanked the kunai lodged deep into the man's skull. He assumed it was a man, based on the skeleton's build and clothes. After a quick prayer, Kitsune was sure to seal away the man's remains as well. His master had always taught him to respect the dead of innocent civilians, and offer a short prayer when possible.

After 20 minutes, he was comfortable he had found everything he could at this location. Any evidence in the terrain such as explosion residue was certain to have been washed away by the weather. Taking one last glance to ensure he was alone, he pulled out his wooden totem and began reforming the jutsu.

The world seemed to contort as Kitsune stood in the middle of a raging battling ground as steel clashed and shinobi were locked in combat. The wagon was upright again and he watched as a kunai peppered the canvas, and he heard a gurgled gasp come from inside. His eyes settled on the woman from before as she drove a kunai through the throat of an approaching man. Kitsune was frustrated that he could not recognize the headband from this point of view. The body flopped to the ground and the young girl whimpered at the site, as she clutched her mother's leg.

"Faasuchi!" a man's voice rang out.

A larger built man ran up to them and embraced who he assumed was his wife in a short hug, before he swept up the young girl in his arms. "Are you two alright?"

"Yes, we're fine. What about the boys?"

"Raitzu has them. Come on, my men will hold them off. We need to leave!"

The two raced away as more dark forms converged on the scene and chased after them. Some were intercepted by the father's men, but some managed to break through.

Kitsune creased his brow as the vision blurred and became dark. He released his jutsu and cursed. He supposed a child's memory could only remember so much.

He stared off in the direction they had left and pocketed his totem. Without another word, he set off in the direction of the Land of Rivers.

* * *

Kakashi stared out across the water as Hinata helped the two boys struggle to keep their balance. It had been several days, but they had finally managed to do it. All three of them were able to stay afloat on the water by themselves. Sure, the boys didn't have it down perfectly, but he had given them enough time on this. It was time to move forward.

"Alright bring it in!"

The three wobbled their way across the water and met him on shore. Hinata was still blushing up a storm at the sight of the shirtless boys. They had followed her example and started showing up for practice with bathing suits for the exercise, and it was all she could do to not form a nosebleed. After all of the hard work Kakashi had been putting them through, the boys were certainly well developed for their age.

"Great job. For now, I think that will be enough. You have each demonstrated that you are capable of the exercise, so you have earned the right to move on to your individual lessons.

Each of them gleamed and smiled at the prospect. Each of them was excited to actually get personal training from their teacher. After all, they had seen what he was capable of when he took down a jounin in one move.

After they had changed and returned to him, Kakashi crossed his fingers and two clones sprung to life next to him.

"Alright. Each of these clones will be helping you with your routine today. Try not to pop them, for I don't have enough chakra to keep sending them out if you do."

The two clones directed Sasuke and Hinata away as the original stared down at Naruto, who was bouncing on his feet.

"So what are we going to do sensei? What badass techniques are we going to work on?" His mind swirled with image of himself shooting off tendrils of lightning, with one foot planted on the backside of Sasuke.

"None."

"W-what!" he sputtered as he face planted. "What did you say?"

"You heard me. I am not going to be teaching you some _badass_ techniques, as you phrased it, at least not yet anyway. Instead, we are going to be forced to do some remedial work."

He hardened his gaze as he stared at the boy. "I'm sure Sasuke and Iruka have pointed it out to you. You may be fast, but that doesn't make up for the fact that you are severely lacking in the taijutsu department."

Naruto clenched his teeth as he stared at the ground. It wasn't like it was his fault.

"I know that some of the teachers in the academy were less than helpful, when it came to your education, but there is nothing we can do about that now. All we can do is fix up what they failed to teach you and press ahead."

Naruto clenched his fist as he stared at the ground. Bastards teachers. Because of them, he was now going to be behind of Hinata and Sasuke-teme. Just because of their stupid prejudice.

"Now don't look so down. I didn't say that was all we'd be doing," as he noticed Naruto's dark change in attitude.

Naruto looked up at him curiously as he continued, "Thankfully for you, your little incident with Mizuku and the Nidaime's scroll turned out to be a blessing in disguise in more ways than one. Tell me, have you noticed the little trick with your shadow clones grant you?"

Naruto only stared at him blankly. "I guess not," Kakashi sighed, "Have you noticed how their memories seem to transfer back to you after they dispel?"

Feelings of the sharp teeth sinking into his raced back into his mind. "Oh yeah. Like when your rabid mutts were chasing us!"

"Or when you passed out from exhaustion from working all day at the lumber yard," Kakashi finished. "Everything your clones do will be sent back to you, exhaustion included. This is helpful for us, since we can cover a lot of ground at once, by having them practice with you."

"Meaning I get more training done at once!" Naruto realized as his eyes lit up. "Wow sensei! You're some kind of genius!"

"I have been called that from time to time," he chuckled, "Anyways, like I said, your taijutsu is not all we will be working on. While I did pick up a thing or two from my sensei, I will admit that you are further along with sealing than I probably will ever be. I understand you are just starting your advanced series correct?"

After he gave him a proud nod he continued, "While we are working on your training, I want you to leave a clone dedicated to reading through the advanced set. I know I haven't given you guys a lot of free time lately, and don't think I haven't noticed how tired you are in the morning. You've been staying up after training reading haven't you?"

Knowing he had been caught, Naruto rubbed his head in embarrassment.

"I don't think I need to tell you need that you need as much sleep as you can get. From now on, only read during our individual sessions and Sundays. I know your education is important to you, but you need to stay healthy or you'll exhaustion will catch up with you."

Naruto nodded furiously as he understood the message. "Moving on. Aside from that, we will work on getting the jutsu already under your belt to the next level. I assume the Fox Hellfire jutsu was not the only technique Kitsune taught you, correct?"

After a nod, Kakashi started smiling. "Good. Then show me."

* * *

At the same time, the clone Kakashi stared down at Sasuke. Out of the three of them, he was the most anxious to learn. What troubled Kakashi was just how anxious he was. He wanted to progress quickly, but would get frustrated if anything took a long time to learn. He needed to focus on curbing that ego, but that could also backfire on him. He needed to find a nice medium of challenge.

So, he reached into the bag he had brought and tossed Sasuke a bokken.

Sasuke rubbed his hand along the wooden blade as he shot Kakashi a surprised look. "Kenjutsu?"

"I'll admit your abilities in ninjutsu and taijutsu are already at chunin level. Once you activate your sharingan, it will be all the more easier for you to advance faster. You'll be able copy any jutsu and most taijutsu forms instantly. The area we really should be working on is your chakra levels, chakra control and stamina, but something tells me you wouldn't be too happy about that."

Sasuke frowned as he stared at the man, but stayed silent. He wasn't wrong.

"You hate repetition and training that doesn't reward direct results. If I were to just focus on those while I helped your teammates, you'd be even grumpier than normal. I think kenjutsu is a happy medium. It is not something you can just copy with your sharingan once you have it, and it can be quite a soothing experience. Besides, I'll throw in a few raition jutsu for you to learn in the mix to shake things up. Sound like a plan?"

Sasuke stared down at the wooden blade as he spun it around. He couldn't deny he like the sound of that. He nodded as stared back at his sensei and he gripped the handle in his hands.

He seemed to pause as a question popped in his mind.

"Actually sensei, there is something that has been bothering me..."

Kakashi patiently waited for him continue. If he was finally opening up, he wanted him to do it at his own pace.

"I've come to realize a problem I have, and I don't know how to fix it."

It seemed to really be bugging him for he had said the last few words through clenched teeth. "Go on."

"I have realized a flaw that I have that I am not too… proud of," he clenched out.

Kakashi couldn't help himself. "Oh, has my little student finally discovered the wonders of the female anatomy? I guess it's to be expected with Hinata-chan drenched in water every day. It's perfectly normal for a boy your age."

Sasuke sent him a glare through crimson cheeks and Kakashi just chuckled. "Kidding. What's really on your mind?'

"I have realized I can loose my cool a little too quickly. Especially when thinking about a certain matter."

'Ah, so that's what this is about.'

"You can't stop thinking about that day can you?"

Sasuke's tightened grip on the handle was all the answer he needed.

"Speaking from personal experience, I know what it's like to loose everyone you care about."

Sasuke was surprised as he stared back at him. Kakashi motioned him to sit and he joined him on the soft grass.

"I've been around a lot longer than you have, and I know what it's like having everyone you love disappear. Friends, lovers, teachers, family. I've been through it all."

"How do you deal with it? Does the pain ever go away?"

"No. It never will. If you try to be by yourself and push others away, it only makes things worse. Like I'm sure you have, I threw myself in training and work. I joined ANBU and went on mission after mission just to keep my head clear, but that never works. Eventually, it all comes back to haunt you."

Sasuke stared down at the ground as he gripped the wooden handle in his hand.

"That's not to say it can't get better. Even after pushing them away, I had friends who stuck by me and helped me frown drowning in my own misery. You'll probably meet some of them sometime, but I warn you one in particular can be quite the character," he said as thoughts of green spandex burst into his mind.

Sasuke was quiet as the memory of his teammates trying to help him a few nights ago came to mind.

"I assume you brought this up because it was affecting your attempts at tree climbing."

"How did you know that?"

He shrugged. "I could tell you were having a hard time clearing your head. If I had to bet, the reason you are bringing this up is because you've noticed your thoughts are making it harder for you to focus your chakra. Am I wrong?"

Sasuke's silence was all the answer he needed. "Meditation and training doesn't work. Believe me, I've tried, and I bet you have as well. I'd advise finding a hobby that puts you at ease. Whenever these thoughts return, just focus on your hobby."

"What did you do to overcome it?"

Kakashi actually scratched his head and seemed embarrassed. "Well, that's more of a story for another time, but let's just say I haven't exactly followed the most healthful example. To keep it brief, let's say I'm emulating someone I cared about and not exactly all of his attributes can be considered positive."

The image of the man's orange book made Sasuke frown and stare disapprovingly at his sensei.

"I'm not going to get over my problems with smut, you pervert."

"Nor should you. A healthier example is probably how I raised my ninken. They were a positive support that allowed me to reach out to others as well as further my ability on the battlefield. What you eventually decide is up to you."

"But I don't know what I like to do," he quietly muttered.

"I thought so. Take some time next weekend to go out in the village and explore. Try to make a friend or two. Look for new activities that peek your interest. It doesn't have to be much, but at least give it a shot."

Sasuke nodded as he thought it over. "I'll try."

Kakashi grinned as he stood up. "That's all I can ask. Now, if that is all, are you ready to get started?"

Sasuke smirked and gripped the wooden blade in both hands. "Ready whenever you are Ero-sensei."

He got a whack in the head for his comment, and Kakashi began working him through the first kata his own father had taught him many years ago.

* * *

The other clone stared down at Hinata as she anxiously waited for him to begin.

"What are we going to focus on sensei?"

"Before we begin, I want to get something through your head. You are not as behind as you seem to think you are."

Hinata was surprised by his blunt comment. "W-what are you talking about sensei?"

This conversation had been a long time coming. He had wanted to have this conversation day one, but the discovery of Naruto's Hiraishin and her positive interaction with the boys had held him up. It was finally time to break through that shell she had enveloped herself in.

"I can't read minds, but I can tell what you are thinking. You seem to think that you are behind the others."

She yanked at her jacket as she stared at the ground. "But it's true. They are both so gifted."

"Yes, they can be labeled as prodigies in one area or another, but why do you think that doesn't apply to you?"

Thoughts of her cousin raced through he mind as she stared at the ground. "I'm no prodigy. I'm not that special when compared to them or even my own clan."

"What gives you that idea?"

"I just know it." Her clan was always ready to remind her of that. She was always ridiculed when compared to the shining abilities of her younger sister or cousin.

"I want you to listen and listen well. I don't give a crap what the Hyuuga elders think of you."

She was shocked and started to stutter, but Kakashi cut her off. "They must be as blind as they are old. What I see when I look at you is a determined young lady, who has already proved herself as an excellent kunoichi. You have already proved them wrong time and time again. You were the one that was accepted for your summoning contract, and you were the one that the stone monument responded to."

Her tears were cut off by a loud gasp. "H-how d-do you-"

He knelt in front of her. "The Hokage filled me in on the situation. I don't know everything that is going on, but I do know you are in for a lot of shit sooner or later. I want to make sure that you know that you are worth more than you think you are. I don't know what the future holds for you, but I want you to know that I believe you can handle it. And I'm sure your teammates think so too."

Tears streamed from her face as she launched herself onto Kakashi's chest. He rubbed her back and soothed her as she cried into his chest. His eyebrows narrowed as he held her. How long had it been since someone sat down and told her they believed in her?

After several minutes, she finally calmed down and let go. She sniffled as she wiped away her tears. "Sorry. T-thank you Kakashi-sensei. That meant a lot."

"I meant it. You are truly special, and they are fools for believing otherwise. While you might not think so, you are just as extraordinary as either of your teammates. Not many people your age can just develop their own techniques. Or did you think that was just something people did all the time?"

"No but-"

"Hinata, I can only think of one other person who managed to create their own original technique by your age, and your staring at him. Maybe you are not as gifted in your clan's taijutsu as your clan want you to be, but so what? Some taijutsu styles are not for everyone. If it doesn't work for you, find something else."

The thought shocked her to her core. The idea of the jyuuken being wrong contradicted everything she had ever been taught as a child. "But my father-"

"Your father is not here. You are my soldier, and you shall learn what I see fit. Understand?"

She wiped away the last of her tears and stared at him with renewed determination.

"Good. Now, this will not be easy, but I can already tell you what you need to focus on. For years, I have been irritated how the Hyuuga never seem to grasp the concept to develop some long distance techniques. Sure they have their Air Palm technique, but that is extremely limited. I plan to teach you some suiton jutsu to fix this problem."

'This could also help her with her taijutsu problem as well,' Kakashi thought to himself. He could tell that the jyuuken form she was using was too rigid for her style. When she fought, she was graceful and moved like water in and out from her opponent's attacks. He wouldn't be surprised if it turned out to be her chakra affinity. Learning some suiton jutsu could help her in the long run of altering her form, but they did not have time for that before they returned to missions.

"So our game plan is: working on increasing your chakra capacity, learning some new medical techniques, and working on your own developed techniques. Sound good?"

She nodded her head and straightened her back as she stared at him. She had made great strides over the two months with the boys, but she had still been lingering in that shell of hers. Maybe she would never be free of it, but he would try his damnest to crack through it.

"Good. Now I made a promise when we first started our new training regiment, and I plan to stick to it. Turn on your byakugan and watch closely."

He began to concentrate and his hands began to become enveloped by a green light. She stared curiously as the chakra concentrated in his hands, but it did not seem agitated like most techniques. It seemed calming and smooth for some reason.

"I copied this technique a long time ago for emergency treatment on the battlefield. I'm no medic, so this was mostly for spot and go injuries. I'm sure a proper med-nin will be able to help you with this in time, but for now, this will help you with healing tiny injuries. Your chakra control is already at a point where this won't be too difficult for you. Are you ready?"

She nodded as she closed her eyes and started concentrating on forming her chakra the same way he had.

Before they truly got started, he could not help but make a final jab at her. "We both know how much trouble Naruto gets himself in. This way you can get him shirtless as much you want, to heal all of those nasty scars."

Her concentration dissipated in an instant as a blush furiously etched across her face.

He chuckled and rubbed her hair as she tried to pull herself deeper into her jacket.

He was actually starting to like these kids.

* * *

The Hokage watched with his crystal ball as Kakashi began to crack down on all of his pupils. He was glad the man was opening up again. Each of his genin was bringing out a different side of him.

Naruto was allowing him to settle the ghosts of his past, Hinata was allowing him to become the father figure that he had been absent in his own life, and Sasuke allowed him to reconcile for his own mistakes in dealing with his trauma. It was for this reason that he had paired him up with Sasuke. The two shared so much in common, that it would do the boy good to have a role model that had been in his shoes.

They were making good progress, and he actually believed they would be ready for the slew of assignments he had ready for them once the allotted time had passed. He carefully sat the ball back behind his desk before he returned to two papers that held most of his attention.

The first was a letter that needed to be handled with extreme care. For years now, Kiri had been swamped in a seemingly unending civil war over the extermination of blood limit users. Over the past few months, the rebel forces had faced some serious losses and were now on the defensive as the loyalists pushed in on them. The young leader of the rebel movement had sent them a letter requesting for aid in their endeavor. His heart went out to their plea, especially due to the number of blood limit users Konoha housed, but he did not need Danzo to help make his decision any easier.

He had to decline their request for aid. Even if he agreed with their cause, it would not do for the village to side with the loosing faction of another country's war. Unless they were able to gain the upper hand and truly start making some ground, he was afraid they were on their own. He hoped they could hold out for a couple of years and start pushing back, but it was wishful thinking.

The other was the mission report he had assigned to Kitsune. Three years ago, a patrol had come across a young family wandering in the forests along the border of River and Fire country. They had gone through some sever trauma and their family had apparently been slaughtered by enemy shinobi.

When arriving at the sight of the attack, the field was littered with the remains of a battle, but there were no bodies or any evidence to help link back to their attackers. The young family was relocated to the village and the case was sadly considered dead. Without any leads, they could not do anything.

That was until a recent blood test came back that had gravely concerned him. He had immediately reopened the case and ordered Kitsune to follow through with it. The context of the attack was now much more concerning. If his suspicions were correct, he would be facing an internal and international incident that the elemental nations had not been through before.

Kekkei Tota did not just appear out of nowhere.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Sorry for the slow week. It was due to a few factors. The big one was that I had an important calculus test that I needed to study for. Class will always come before recreation. It was also homecoming week, and I had to play for multiple events (I play saxophone if anyone is curious). This was also one of those chapters that isn't as planned out as some others are. We are heading towards the end of training and off towards the first C-rank mission.**

 **Kitsune's jutsu in this chapter will be described at greater length later. Do not fret.**

 **So many mysteries all at once. What is Hinata's summon? What else did Kitsune teach Naruto? In fact, who is Kitsune? What is going on in the Hyuuga? Why can the scroll only be seen by Hinata? What happened to this family in River Country? Will Naruto ever solve the Hiraishin? So many questions that will be answered in time. What's the fun of fanfiction if everything is predictable?**

 **Hope you guys stick around to find out. Leave a comment in the reviews of which question you are most curious about.**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To Libra-no-ninja9) – I'm glad you're enjoying it. I hope the translations aren't messed up too badly.**

 **(To ND99sama) The part with honorifics was on purpose. While she still wanted to help him, she was still a little sore about the night before. Have no fear. The wave arc is coming. In case you missed it, Sasuke and Hinata were doing exactly like you said. Sasuke is the one who made the trap and handed it to the clones so they wouldn't loose any ground, and Hinata was watching the dogs with her byakugan. Naruto seemed like he was doing most of the work because the situation and the environment limited the others' skill sets. They were in the middle of the city. Sasuke can't just shoot fire left and right.**

 **(To Kartikey) – The wave mission is coming soon, but not before training is mostly wrapped up. It may take a while since time is being spent on their training and building up the world for the future. Regarding the Haku scene. I didn't know it seemed so important to some people. I didn't have any specific plans for it, so no need to worry.**

 **(To MoonlitMelody) – Oh yes, that was the plan. Mwuahaha! Trust me. It's an animal that really makes sense for a clan as esteemed as the Hyuuga. They are powerful, elegant, and even more prideful than the clan that holds their contract (although you'll notice the only people allowed to summon them aren't really that prideful).**

 **(To NatLS) – No, Gai will not be involved in their training. At least he's not planned to. Sasuke will get faster with time (and the sharingan will certainly help him later). The thing about fighting styles in fanfics is they can be interesting, but if you take too much time with them, they grow dull. Naruto will certainly be up to par by the time he returns, but he'll be on an average level by the end of part 1 (his speed and ingenuity will make up for the difference).**

 **As for Kitsune, he was just passing through. The training grounds just happened to be in the same direction he was traveling. Will he help with their training? Technically, he already has. He's already passed on Naruto a thing or two, but he will not be giving lessons to the group.**

 **(The Lioness of the Leaf) – Whose to say she won't join the slugs? Sasuke demonstrated in his fight with Danzo that you could have multiple summoning contracts. This does not mean they will be her main summons (again, hint at title). The three of them will push forward trying to forge their identities. Not just repeating those of the past (I.E. Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Tsunade).**

 **(To Lord Ticky) – I agree it's odd Kishi never really focused on the dogs in the original material. They seemed so cool in the fight with Zabuza, but never really seen again until halfway through Shippuden and nothing really came of it. That's why I thought it would be fun to work them in somewhere. Sadly, I honestly did not have any plans to dig deeper into them. While they are cool, I can't really see how else they would fit into the story without being forced. I'll keep them in mind though.**


	18. Chapter 18 - Unsettling Developments

Chapter 18 – Unsettling Developments

"One more time. Like we've gone over before, it isn't about how much chakra you pump into the technique. It's about the rate you force the chakra out. Really take a deep breath and force your chakra out faster than before."

Naruto flashed through four hand signs and took in a deep of air. Kitsune's instruction's rang in his head, "Feel your chakra getting excited, let it build in your chest, then let it out as fast as you can."

"Katon: Fox Hellfire!"

The stream of fire burst from his mouth lighting the target post ablaze. After a lot of time and effort, the flames were finally the distinctive white coloring of the second stage of the jutsu. The armored mannequin tied to the post had seen better days. Upon contact with the white flames, the metal plates melted into a pool of liquid metal, burning straight through the dirt. Wood itself cannot melt. It's broken up too fast when introduced to heat. Instead, a billowing cloud of black smoke burst from the stump as it oxidized. After a couple of seconds, the flames began to change back to their yellow hue as Naruto's control began to waver.

"Alright that's enough," Kakashi yelled as he began going through the hand signs for a suiton jutsu.

Naruto lungs cried out for air as he cut off the jutsu. His chest felt extraordinarily warm and he gasped for breath as steam erupted from the contact of Kakashi's suiton jutsu on the smoldering pile ahead of him.

They had been at this for days and he was thrilled by the progress he was making. He glanced over at the horde of clones moving in sync as they went through the katas Kakashi-sensei had shown them. It was like watching a dojo practicing together as rows upon rows of navy, orange, and yellow grunted and went through the motions of each kata. He also wistfully glanced at the two clones sitting off to the side as they got to just sit around and read all day.

"I think you've finally got it down," Kakashi said as he stared at the steaming remains of the training dummy.

Naruto smiled triumphantly as he sat down on the ground. It had been 2 weeks since they had started individual training, and he had to say this was the most fun he had ever had. Sure he loved the thrill of a prank or two, but he loved being able to actually see his progress as a shinobi increase. He had only gotten faster during their spars and group conditioning sessions, and now his taijutsu was actually passable.

"I think that's about as far as you're going to get with me leading the helm on that jutsu," Kakashi said as he walked up to him. "I've only ever seen the first two stages in person. You're going to have to ask Kitsune what's so special about the third stage in person."

"Thanks for all the help sensei. Have you seen Kitsune-teme by the way? I haven't seen him in a while."

Kakashi was silent before he answered. "I wouldn't expect you to. He's off on an important mission for the Hokage right now. I don't know where it is, but I do know that it is going to be extremely difficult for him."

"He can handle it. Kitsune can handle anything thrown at him!"

Kakashi chuckled. "I bet he can, but don't worry. He's not exactly on a dangerous mission, just a challenging one. It's just a graveyard mission."

"What does that mean?"

"I'll tell you about it if you ever consider going into the ANBU corps," he said as he ruffled his hair, "Now, on to the next subject. I'd say we've made some good ground in your taijutsu. Your nasty shot earlier this morning is a testament to that."

Naruto wickedly grinned as he recalled the events earlier that morning.

While Hinata held most of his attention, he had finally been fast enough to get inside his sensei's guard and land a punch in Kakashi left side, only to be reminded of his place and pummeled face first into the ground.

It had actually stung Kakashi a little since the boy had been experimenting with his new density seals. The blonde's fist was so dense it had felt like he was being hit by cinderblock.

"Now, how are your clones doing working on the other technique Kitsune taught you?"

Naruto flinched as the feeling on an explosion tearing apart his body raced through his mind. "Not very well," he grimaced.

"Is it still exploding in your hand?"

"I don't understand it!" the blonde uttered as he pulled at his hair. "The whole idea of the jutsu seems wrong to me. The angrier you are the stronger it gets, but the angrier you are the harder it is for you to control the chakra. What am I doing wrong sensei?

Kakashi closed his eyes as he thought it over. "Let me see you do it again."

"With a clone," he followed up as he noticed Naruto start to seize up.

He let out a breath of relief as he summoned a new clone.

"Do I have to boss? You know how much it hurts!" it complained.

"Come on you big baby. The sooner we get this down, the sooner we stop blowing ourselves up now get over there."

The clone stuck its tongue out at him as it marched off towards its doom. Kakashi was starting to believe Sasuke was right in his observation about the blonde talking to his clones. They didn't just occasionally chat, they had full on discussions. Naruto would rabble on and on with himself about the intricacies of fuinjutsu, since there was simply no one else who had his same level of knowledge.

He really hoped Jiraiya would return soon. The boy needed another outlet to bounce his ideas off of.

Back to the matter at hand, as the clone began forming chakra in his hand, Kakashi raised the headband over his left eye. The return of his red eye surprised Naruto, but he ignored him as he focused on the chakra system of his clone.

The clone was forming the jutsu in his right hand and concentrating all of the chakra into a singular point. The energy built up in this point began to dramatically heat up inside the enclose space. Soon the leaking energy of the jutsu began forming as a dark crimson flame around his fist. At this point, these flames were still just his chakra converted into a different form so his arm remained undamaged.

He stood there for some time before he noticed the jutsu was beginning to become unstable. The longer the clone held the jutsu, the more chakra was being pumped through its core. However, the size of the flame outside of his palm was not changing. The jutsu was being backed up due to the limits of how much chakra could be released at a time. The pressure was too much, and before he could call out. The flame exploded in a raging inferno incinerating the clone and everything within a five-meter radius.

The original flinched as the memories of being burned away flew back to his mind.

"I think I see two of the problems," Kakashi said as he lowered his headband back over his eye, "The longer you hold the jutsu, the more chakra you have built inside of its core. You're limiting how much energy escapes to power up the jutsu, but by doing so, you are causing the pressure inside to build up, causing the explosion."

Naruto nodded as he stared down at his hand.

"There is also the problem of what will happen if you manage to get it right. Assuming it doesn't explode in your hand, how will you manage to direct the explosion?"

Naruto looked surprised and bit his tongue at his tongue at his own stupidity.

"I assume Kitsune had been teaching you this only through theory and demonstration?" Kakashi asked as he watched his student have an internal battle.

Naruto nodded prompting him to continue, "I think I see a solution. Try focusing on maintaining the pressure as you form the jutsu. When you are ready to discharge it, force a constant flow chakra through your arm towards the direction of travel before delivering the jutsu. This will direct the attack forward and not everywhere at once."

Naruto was surprised, but anxious to give it a try. He summoned another clone, which did not bother arguing as he raced over to the middle of the field. He stared at a training post with newfound determination as he began molding the jutsu again.

The blisteringly hot chakra began swirling in his hands, and once the crimson flames began dancing around his palm, he began racing towards the post. He could feel the built up chakra threatening to burst, but he pushed through it as he drew closer to the post.

 _Come on! Come on! Hold it!_

He slammed his hand forward into the post as he pushed his chakra as hard as he could through his arm and shouted, "Katon: Wrath's Inferno!"

The chakra wave slammed into the condensed energy and forced it forward as the fire raged forth in a burning inferno through the dummy. This time it was directed away from him in a narrow cone facing outward and left a simmering hole through center of the training post.

The clone looked just as surprised as the original did. Smiles lit up both of their faces as they began dancing with one another, with the chanting support of the taijutsu clones in the background.

' _The kid is just something else,'_ Kakashi thought as he stared at the dancing blondes. He was making amazing progress, and his teammates weren't slouching either.

* * *

Sasuke scoffed as another explosion ripped through the forest. The blonde just didn't understand the definitions of subtly.

Sasuke was crouching in the bushes as he tried to catch a glimmer of his sensei's clone. His hand tightly gripped the handle of his katana as he stared off into the trees.

He noticed a leaf fluttering to the ground and sprung into action.

He immediately let loose 8 shuriken with wire attached up into the trees. He yanked them as they tied around an object hiding behind the tree's central mass. He sprinted up the tree, and swung his sword clear through the immobilized object.

He gritted his teeth as the metal cleanly sliced through the block of wood and quickly turned around to parry the attack from his sensei.

"Very good Sasuke, but you're going to have to be quicker than that."

The two began trading swift blows as Sasuke used everything in his power to outmaneuver the older man.

Sparks flew as metal clashed. They fought for dominance on the branch of a tree, and Sasuke could feel himself being pushed back by the man's superior strength. He kicked off the tree towards the ground. He sailed through 3 hand signs and pointed a finger right at his sensei.

"Raiton: Volt Shot!" he rang.

Lighting swirled around the tip of his finger in the shape of an arrow and shot off towards his sensei. It raced at him at so rapidly that even with his incredible speed, he only had a few milliseconds to dodge. As it raced over his chest, he let go of his katana as the jutsu made contact with the steel blade.

' _Very clever_ ,' he thought as he jumped after the boy. ' _if I had been holding that, the electricity would have coursed through this body and dispelled me. He's making fine use of the jutsu I've taught him.'_

' _He hadn't been slouching on the kenjutsu either_ ,' he noted as he pulled out a kunai as Sasuke jumped up to meet him midair.

* * *

"Suiton: Water Bullet!" Hinata thought as a stream of water burst from her mouth.

The stream crashed into the trees as she raced after her sensei. He ducked behind another tree as she raced through 3 more seals. "Suiton: Pressure Stream!" she thought as the size of the stream of water started to decrease. Instead, it became more focused as the linear blast of water cleanly cut through the tree.

Kakashi ducked out from under the tree and started racing away. She chased after him slicing through tree after tree. He pushed chakra into his legs and burst ahead of her. As he became out of range, she cut off her chakra and chased after him.

After several minutes, she chased him until she found him hiding behind a tree several feet from her. Her byakugan could clearly see his huddled form as he started to lean out to look for her.

"Sensei, I can see you. You can't hide from my line of sight."

"Really now?"

She noticed something falling from above and littered it in a barrage of kunai. She was surprised when she noticed it was just a block of wood. Her heart picked up as she saw her sensei had burst from his hiding place and was racing towards her.

He had been trying to trick her to draw her attention.

Her palms glowed blue as she reached out to intercept him. As she was about to make contact, she was shocked when he vanished from her field of view. In front of her was the log she had turned into a pincushion. Her eyes widened as and her sensei reappeared in her byakugan view in the spot above her.

' _A double bluff_!'

He raced down towards her only for her to replace herself with the log he had just used himself. He landed with a crouch and slowly rose to stare at her as she danced out of his range.

She was always so quick on her feet.

' _She was getting faster_ ,' he noted, ' _and her work to increase her reserves had certainly been visible when she had switched between the two jutsu.'_

Her white eyes stared him down, as she began concentrating her chakra in her hands. From what she had told him, this was not the final product, but this part of her technique certainly had its own uses. He had felt them first hand.

She clenched her palms as a set of blue, blazing teeth began to form in front of them. She raced towards the man as she whispered, "Gentle Step: Twin Lion Fangs!"

He desperately dodged and weaved as she raced towards him with those sharp rows of teeth. Even when they didn't make contact, he could feel his chakra being drained away. It was like the teeth literally sank into the chakra emanating from his body and yanked it away. The more she took from him, the faster she was.

It was getting so troublesome for a clone. Sooner or later, she was going to get lucky and he would make a mistake, causing her to pop him.

Yet this made him happy as he ducked under another strike. Oh, they were turning into quite the little monsters.

He was so proud.

* * *

The Hokage share his thoughts as he scrolled through Team 7's latest report.

Kakashi had kept his word. Each of them was pushing forward at a phenomenal rate. It would seem like his gambit would pay off, and would have a newly invigorate Team 7 once they returned to active duty.

He just hoped they could keep a lid on it. He had already faced questions from Kurenai, and he couldn't have Asuma thinking he was playing favorites. He was distant from his son as it was. The last thing he needed was Naruto bragging off to the other teams that they got to skip the mandatory D-rank missions just to focus on training.

Sasuke had taken to kenjutsu rather well. He was rather comfortable with the form, but apparently had not found a sword size he was comfortable with yet. That was something to fix on his own time. He had added a few raition jutsu under his belt, and he was sure Kakashi had plenty more to teach him after he activated his sharingan.

Hinata had truly flourished. Having a positive motivator had worked wonders for her. The Sandaime had understood Hiashi's method of training in her childhood, but it was evident that it had backfired on him. While he was sure the man wanted to apologize and try again, it would look bad for his reputation as the stern, cold leader of the Hyuuga. He needed to ease her into a more gentle view of him, and not all at once. While it pained him to watch, he silently gave Kakashi his blessings as he trained his daughter.

Just as the Sandaime had suspected, she took after her mother. She had convinced her mother's summons to allow her to sign the scroll and she even took after her natural inclination to develop new jutsu.

Hitomi Hyuuga had been a rather peculiar member of that family. The elders were not exactly fond of her kind and diplomatic outlook, but they would never deny that she had been a wonderful addition to the clan.

The amount of new jutsu she had developed was only rivaled by the creations of the clan's original founders. She had been instrumental in the third ninja war, and thanks to her, the nuisance of the Crimson Colony had finally been terminated. She and the last generation of the Ino-Shika-Cho formation had been sent in and managed to kill the queen.

Hinata was following in her footsteps and was already creating her own jutsu. She would need the unexpected edge in the battles ahead of her.

Finally, Naruto had flourished under private tutelage. With those shadow clones, he was burning through material as fast as Kakashi could give him. He had already raced through the first two advanced series books, and had apparently done a fine job of mastering the techniques Kitsune had taught him.

Speaking of which, the Hokage turned his thoughts to his loyal operative who was still out in the field. His investigation had been going on now for 3 weeks. He was very curious of his results.

* * *

The man in question gazed out over the rolling hills of River Country. It was a beautiful and prosperous country that greatly benefited from the land's rich soil and neighbor's military might.

While the Land of Rivers had a shinobi force of their own, they allowed Konoha shinobi to pass through as they pleased. The daiymo's of their respective countries actually turned out to be close cousins. They were always happy to help one another, and if the country got to benefit from the support of Konoha's military, who were they to complain.

The landscape would have been a beautiful sight, if it not for the path of carnage he saw before him. While it certainly been covered up in the years since the incident, his eyes could see the telltale marks of the battle here.

He ran his hand against the bark of a tree, where wind enhanced chakra had left gashes. Spikes of stone still littered the ground from where the battle had taken place. He took out his tiny white totem and placed it on the ground. He took a few steps back and began racing through hand signs.

"Fox Style: Four Totem Jutsu," he cried as he slammed his hands into the ground.

Four white pillars rose from the ground and surrounded him. Each was an ivory white, with red markings along the structure. Carved into the top of each totem was the head of a fox. The eyes glowed purple as they synced up with the small object on the ground.

As this went on, Kitsune took a step back and bit his finger. He whipped through another four hand signs and slammed his hands into the ground.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Clouds burst up to reveal a tiny grey and light orange fox sitting before him. His head barely reached the boy's kneecaps, but his wide ears stretched up to his stomach. 4 tails waved behind him as he smiled up at the boy.

Kitsune sank to his knees and offered a deep bow to the bespectacled fox. "Huli-sama. Thank you for coming to my request. I am honored by your presence."

"Oh, stop with the pleasantries already my boy!" he croaked, "Lady Xi may demand you to pay your respects, whenever she is called, but you know full well I am fine without them. Let's get down to business already, shall we N-"

"Not another word! We are not in the Land of Fire, and you know I prefer not to be called by my name." Kitsune hissed as he cut off the old fox.

"I see. Still so stingy. You don't need to be so protective all the time, my boy. Is Na-kun alright with you?"

The teenager clenched his teeth behind his mask as he nodded. He knew the old timer would not stop when he had his mind set on something.

"Good. Now, what impossible task do we find ourselves with this time?"

Kitsune reached down and passed the old fox the small totem. It was a clever trick devised by the foxes millennium ago. Similar to the Inoichi techniques, the totem allowed its wielder access to another person's memories. It could reach deep into their psyche and dig up even the most repressed memories. In combination with Four Totem jutsu, it could project those memories outwards from the perspective of the person they were taken from.

"I have been tasked with investigating the events that lead to a young girl and boy seeking sanctuary in the village. They were believed to have been the victims of a random bandit attack, but the Hokage now believes there is more to it."

"Poor things," the fox said as he glanced at the totem on the ground, "Who watches over them?"

"They mostly take care of themselves. The eldest, the girl, has a job in the village, and provides for herself and her younger brother."

"Most unfortunate. I presume the parents were victims in the attack."

"Yes."

The old fox shook his head as he stared at the field around them. "Do you have any leads on the attackers?"

"That is what we are here to find out Huli-sama."

He reached into his back and pulled out a couple strands of the girl's black hair. While reluctant at first, she had eventually agreed to his strange request after he had explained to her the nature of his investigative techniques.

"Do you have a scent of her from the time of the incident? Her scent could have changed during her time in the village, and it is already going to be hard after a couple of years from this area."

Kitsune reached to his arm and unsealed the mud-caked teddy bear he had recovered from the Land of Rain.

With the combined items, the old fox was able to form an idea of what he was looking for. He sat on his tails as his front paws went through hand signs.

Huli was one of the oldest amongst the fox clan. What he lacked in size, he made up for with his wisdom and cunning. He was one of the most respected leaders even amongst the elders, even if they thought he was growing too amiable in his old age. Yes, they respected his knowledge and abilities, but that didn't mean they liked him.

The tiny fox clasped his paws together and all of the color of the world melted away. The world had become grayscale and tiny clouds filled the air. As he sniffed the air, they each cloud lit up a different color, representing different scents.

He noticed a man who had passed through here recently as well as and a young deer. After several minutes shifting through the scents, he finally honed on the ridiculously faint scent he was searching for and began leading the young boy into the woods.

He stopped as they came across a bush with a torn piece of cloth on its branches.

"The young girl must have spent most of her time hiding here."

"Good," Kitsune replied as he placed his hands together.

Totems back on the road started levitating and spread out into the woods keeping their square shape. After they passed him, he released the jutsu and they sank back onto the ground.

"Alright let's see what happened. Whenever you are ready, Na-kun," the old fox stated as Kitsune formed another hand sign.

The bright sky instantly shifted into the darkness of night, as the memory was projected before their eyes. Trees were burning as they watched dark shapes clash along the road.

The unsettling scene was even more disturbing at the sight of the three huddled children sitting beside the young girl.

"So this is her," he said as he walked up to the brunette girl, "I thought you said she had only one brother."

"I did."

Neither spoke, as the implication was clear enough.

"Continue the memory," the old fox commanded. The fires across the road raged as they illuminated the silhouettes of the fighting figures.

"Pause," Huli instructed.

The old fox walked past Kitsune as he inspected the curved image in front of him.

"Go second by second."

Kitsune slowed the projection as they watched two dark forms clashed. The occasional spark of metal was the only light they received in the dark woods.

"Pause. Did you see that?"

"Yes," he replied.

He recognized the man from the memories he viewed in Rain country. "That is the girl's father."

Huli was unsettled as he recognized the metal plate on his forehead.

Iwa.

"This presents a complication. Keep going."

Kitsune unpaused the memory and they watched from the girl's point of view as her father engaged her attackers.

He and Huli were frustrated. The occasional spark would give them a glimpse of the attackers headband, but they could never make out what the symbol was.

"Continue the memory at full speed. We'll come back later if we need to."

The memory continued as the trio of children watched helplessly as their parents engaged their onslaught of attackers. They seemed to holding out pretty well until the attackers seemed to stop and turn towards a single man calmly strolling towards them.

The bald man was certainly imposing. He began waving his arms and was apparently talking to the others, but the child had been too far away to hear. They could only see and hear what the child had.

The man seemed to lean his head to the side, as if he had proposed a question. The next second, he reappeared behind the mother and thrust his hand through her chest.

Kitsune's composure remained unchanged while Huli grimaced at the image. He would have preferred to turn the audio off, but they needed every lead they could get. He tried to ignore the girl's screaming at the sight of her mother.

The man seemed to turn his head towards them and grin. The father slammed his fist into the man's face and slammed his hands into the ground as doton jutsu slammed into him.

"Run!" he yelled at the children as he engaged the bald men and his squad.

"Pause and rewind."

Huli felt uncomfortable as he watched the man's hand slowly removed from the woman's back. He had seen his fair share of bloodshed over the years, but it never made it any easier to watch the death of innocents protecting the ones they loved.

Right as the man reappeared behind her, they got a second to glance his face.

"Do you recognize him?" Huli asked.

Kitsune walked over and inspected the fuzzy image of the man. He had a peculiar circular tattoo along his arm, but he couldn't see enough of his face.

"No," he would have to reread the bingo book, and look out for that particular tattoo.

"Shame, but now we have a lead. Let's continue. I'm anxious to see how the children escaped," Huli sighed.

The vision became blurred as the girl was whipped around. They heard a ripping sound, as the bush tore off a piece of her jacket. They followed the mirage images of the girl, as she was pull along by her older brother away from the main road. She glanced back and the phantom image of her younger brother appeared on her back.

They ran for several minutes before the observers noticed something wrong. These were just children, and would never have spotted it, but Kitsune did.

The girl had missed a dark figure appear up in the trees. Shortly after, she was knocked to the ground and the vision became blurry.

"Blow to the back of the head," Huli stated as he stroked his chin with his paw.

They continued as the young girl looked up and were surprised by a new figure entering the frame.

Kitsune scowled as he stared at a cloaked figure holding the eldest brother by his throat. For some reason, the image of the man unsettled the pair as they watched it stare down at the other siblings.

They felt a chill roll over their skin as he clicked his tongue and started speaking. "No, no. I only need just one. So which of you shall it be? The eldest?" he asked as he tightened his grip on the boy's throat, "Or the youngest? The middle one is useless to me. Perhaps the youngest, he'll be the easiest to mold."

The boy in his grasp lashed out, and the figure did not even flinch.

"Don't you dare touch them!"

"Oh, why don't you've got spirit," he chuckled as he drew the boy closer.

The observers were shocked, as the boy's fist seemed to fly right through the face of his captor.

The man lowered his hood and stared at the young boy as if examining him.

"Hmm. I guess you'll have to do. It will certainly allow me to move up my timetable. Congratulations boy, you are our lucky winner."

The boy struggled as the man returned his attention to the struggling children before him. "Now what to do with you? Leave you as a mare for Yuuto and his cause? No, I suppose it is time to return the favor and ruin his little gamble. He has spited me long enough. Say goodbye to your siblings, boy. I'm saving them from a fate much worse than yours."

The world began to contort, as the area around the man's eye seemed to swirl and suck in the two children.

The boys screamed out there names as they disappeared.

Huli and Kitsune stood there in silence as the memory ended. Whatever came next happened somewhere else.

"This presents a troubling situation," Huli finally spoke as he shifted his glasses. "This seems to be even more complicated than I thought."

Kitsune was silent as he rewound the memory.

He glared as he stepped forward and gazed at the face of the man.

Even now, the man seemed to be taunting him, as he gazed at his tilted head.

Masks came face to face with each other, as he inspected the spiral orange mask of the family's assailant.

Who are you?

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Just as we answer one question, two more shall take its place. Things will certainly be heating up in the future. Good news! We will finally be starting the wave arc as of next chapter! (Well that's the plan anyway.) Finally moving forward in the canon, and out the training period.**

 **New milestone! We have reached 150 reviews. Thank you guys so much. It's been awesome hearing all of this feedback. Please leave a response in the review section and I will talk to you guys later.**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To devanta1) I think Hanzo has been long dead by this point in the story. The three of them are headed to becoming the next generation of sannin, but they are not on an intercept course with Hanzo as of now.**

 **(To cbusch800) Glad you like it. Really enjoyed your review.**

 **(To KK) I am a sir.**


	19. Chapter 19 - The Missions Begin

Chapter 19 – The Missions Begin

Kakashi gleamed proudly as he stood behind his students. After two months away from D-ranks, they had gone above and beyond his expectations.

The Hokage was pleased as well.

"Well Team 7, here we are after 2 months of training, and I must admit, I am impressed with the results."

He offered them smile and the genin beamed under his praise.

"Now, as per our agreement, you need to make up for the lost mission time. As promised, you all shall only be completing C-ranks from here on out until the chunin exams, which I expect you to enter and pass with flying colors. Any less will reflect poorly on you and your sensei."

While his tone was serious, they could tell he was actually quite assured with them.

"I've been compiling a folder of assignments for you, and I expect it to be empty by the date of the first exam," he said and handed the manila folder to Kakashi.

"Your first mission shall begin tomorrow morning. Rest assured you'll face nothing too challenging right off the bat. You'll just be guarding a bridge builder as he travels back home to Wave country. It should take about 12 days for the journey from here to there, so take the rest of the day to prepare."

The genin turned to Kakashi, who said, "You heard the man. Go home and prepare for a two-week trip. Get some rest and make sure to set your alarms. We are meeting at the front gate at 7:30 and heading out as soon as our client arrives. Dismissed."

The three nodded their heads and shuffled out of the room, leaving the Kakashi and the Hokage alone once again.

"Two weeks for a simple mission to Wave?" Kakashi asked.

"Something wrong?"

"Sir, you and I both know it would take maybe 3 days with a civilian to reach Wave country, and two days without him to make it back. Also, the chunin exams are six weeks away. If you really wanted us to get through multiple C-ranks, I don't see why you would eat up a third of our time with a low paying C-rank, unless there was something else going on."

The Hokage folded his hands as he stared out the window. "I'll admit there is something troubling about the mission. The gentleman who requested the mission seemed like a decent man, but he was certainly hiding something. Nothing out of ill intent, but withholding information is a grave concern. If anything were to go wrong, I'd prefer it being your genin team facing any problems rather than the other rookies. Just take a few days to observe the area, before heading on home."

He turned back around and looked Kakashi in the eye. "Just keep an eye out for anything strange."

He chuckled as he sank into the cushions of his seat. "Besides, there is always the C-rank curse to worry about."

"Don't even joke about that. Our first mission out of the village escalated into an A-rank, and that was only a D-rank. I hope that stupid myth has already passed."

"Don't jinx yourself Kakashi," the old man chuckled.

* * *

(Hours Later)

Hinata knelt in her closet as she went through the essentials she would need on her mission.

Kunai and shuriken sets? Check. Check.

Explosive Notes? Check.

Tent? Check.

Two pairs of clothes? Check.

Rations and emergency pills. Check and check.

When she was certain she had everything, she pulled out a small blue scroll from her bag and rolled it open on the floor. She delicately placed the items she needed on top of the paper, and took a step back.

She raised one hand in a hand sign, and a second later; the materials were sealed away in the scroll. It really did pay off having an upcoming seal master on your team.

Naruto had been adamant about sharing his fuinjutsu repertoire with his teammates. He had nearly forced Sasuke to take his lightning rod seal, and he had insisted they all use his storage seals to lighten their loads.

She made sure to place the scroll inside her shuriken pouch and began getting ready for bed. As she changed into her pajamas, she caught sight of the red scroll lingering on her nightstand.

She had been thankful for the break from the looming secrets of her clan over the past month. Ever since her father had told her she should take a break from her research, she was finally getting a good amount of sleep at night. She used to stay up for hours reading and reading, but now she had others helping her along. She really needed to do something to thank Nara-sama for his help.

She had checked with her father earlier in the week, but apparently he had made about as much progress as she had.

She turned off the light and rolled into the covers of her bed, as she got ready to drift off to sleep. As she closed her eyes, there was a bright flash in the room, which jolted her wide-awake. She was on top of her bed with a kunai at the ready as she searched for the source of the disturbance.

Her eyes widened and she scrambled to her night table as she noticed the scroll glowing with the kanji for two now shining on the outside.

She snatched the scroll in her hands and whipped it opened as her eyes tore through the new story.

Hinata did not end up getting much sleep that night. After she copied the new segments down, she had uncharacteristically barged into her father's room to pester him awake.

To say he had been grumpier than usual would be an understatement.

* * *

The next morning, Kakashi and Naruto, the two most notable to be late, were surprisingly the only ones present as the determined time drew closer. They had chatted for a while with their client, a man named Tazuna, but Naruto had grown displeased with him rather quickly. Something about a comment regarding his height.

They were surprised as they saw Hinata slouching towards them through the main street of the village. Her eyes drooped and she was dragging her feet as she approached them. She let out a loud yawn as she apologized for being late.

"I thought I told you guys to get a good nights sleep?"

"I'm sorry sensei," she murmured, "Let me get a cup of hot water from the guard house and I shall be good to go."

Kakashi would have chuckled by her unceremonious behavior if they were not about to head out on a mission. A shinobi should always be alert and ready for any danger, even if they were close to home. Their first mission outside the village had proven that.

"May I ask what kept you up so late?"

She seemed to sober up slightly as she shot him a glance. "There was an important meeting with my father."

"That lasted for hours into the night?"

"It was regarding a certain issue you know about sensei…"

"Ahh," was all Kakashi said as Naruto looked back and forth between the two.

What was going on here?

He was hurt when a thought came into his head. _Is Hinata-chan keeping secrets from us?_ He didn't know why, but the prospect made his chest hurt. He thought he had finally found people that he could trust everything with.

' _Well, I haven't exactly been the sharing type either,'_ he thought as he unconsciously rubbed his stomach.

After some internal debate, made his decision. When this mission was all over, he would tell them. It would be nice to finally get his biggest secret off his chest with the ones he cared the most about. Maybe it could prompt Hinata-chan to share her secrets and for Sasuke to talk about his family.

Speaking of which, Kakashi glanced at his watched as another minute drew closer to their scheduled departure time.

Just where was he? It wasn't like him to be late.

"You better hope Sasuke shows up in the next six minutes. Otherwise all of you will be doing suicide sets for the next week."

A chill raced through both of their spines, and Hinata was instantly wide-awake.

They had experienced that set only once, when Naruto had been late for snacking on ramen too long, and that one time was all the incentive they needed never to be late again.

What the hell could he be doing?

* * *

Sasuke was sprinting through the roads of the village as he made his way towards the front gate.

He had grown careless. He had been so excited by the prospect of his mission the next morning that he had decided to run some last minute katas before he went to bed. Because of this, he was too tired when he slumped into bed that he forgot to set his alarm clock.

The next morning, he squinted his eyes as the beams of the light shooting through his blinds assaulted them. He jolted upright as he realized he had overslept.

Thankfully, he had packed the night before. He had quickly changed his clothes and was now racing across the village full tilt hoping he would make it in time. His face was flushed with embarrassment as he jumped over a civilian wagon and tore through the crowded streets.

This was more the dobe's style than his.

He had only 10 or so minutes to reach the gate before Kakashi would deem him late, and he did not need a reminder of the hell that would follow ensue after that.

He was so caught up in his thoughts he did not notice the girl in his way and they forcefully collided into each other.

"Ow! Goddam baka! What the hell do you think you're… It's you!"

The girl pointed her finger accusingly as she glared at him. The fresh fruit she had been carrying were sprawled all over the ground. He groaned as he rubbed his throbbing forehead.

"Ria! What do you think you're doing! How do you expect customers to buy those if they see our products on the ground!" the old manager shouted as she stormed out of the shop.

"It's not my fault Maria-san! This baka ran into me!" she replied as she shot up.

The old woman turned her glare on the boy, but it instantly morphed to a look of horror as she recognized him. She immediately tried helping him up, but he waved her off.

"Oh, Uchiha-sama! I apologize for my employee's rude behavior. She must not have seen where she was going."

"The hell I was! This teme just ran into me full tilt as I was bringing in the fruit!"

"Ria! Apologize at once! He is the last of the Uchiha clan, and he deserves the proper respect!"

"I don't care who the hell he is! He ran into me! I'm still waiting for my apology duck-butt!" she rebutted as she stared down at him.

Sasuke grunted as he picked himself up. He turned and bowed to the shopkeeper, as he said, "It is my fault Maria-san. I apologize for the inconvenience."

The old lady silenced the boy as she waved her hand. "Oh, don't be so modest Uchiha-sama. What fine manners! Please, feel free to come by any time you wish. We have some of the best products in the village. Ria, make sure to pick all of this up and wash them in the back. Any bruised items are coming out of your paycheck."

Ria sputtered as the old women returned into the store. She fell silent and shot Sasuke a death glare as he tried to back away from her.

"Where do you think you're going? This is all your fault you stupid teme! You are going to help me pick these up and wash them right now."

"I really can't," he said as he backed away from the intimidating girl. Even for a civilian, her presence was overwhelming.

"Oh really, why not?" she asked a little too sweetly.

"I have a mission, and I'm already late."

"Excuses, excuses! Being late is your problem. If you weren't rushing about, you wouldn't have gotten yourself in this mess!"

She grabbed his ear as she started yanking him towards the fallen fruit. "Now, you are going to help me with this mess right now."

He yelped as she tugged harder on his ear, and he quickly used the substitution jutsu on a passing civilian. Ria was surprised as she found herself yanking a complete stranger.

"I can't be late. This is official business for the village, and I can't skirt my responsibilities."

She huffed and released the man's ear. "Oh, you shinobi are all alike. Claiming to look out for us little people, but when it comes down to it, all you care about is money."

He really wanted to argue with her, but he just didn't have the time. "Look, I'll help you when I get back, but I really need to go." With that he started sprinting off towards the gate.

She fumed as she watched his retreating form. "I'M GOING TO HOLD YOU TO THAT, STUPID TEME! BELIEVE ME, I'LL HUNT YOU DOWN IF I HAVE TO! DUCK TEME!"

"Ria! Stop shouting obscenities this instant! You're scaring away the customers!"

Ria fumed as she began picking up the fruit. Oh, she was going to make him pay, when he got back.

* * *

Across the village, the door to the Hokage's office burst open as Kitsune marched through the door.

"Kitsune? You're back early," the Hokage mused.

"Everyone out," Kitsune ordered ignoring the man's cheerful greeting. The other ANBU guards in the room quickly shunshined away from the area. No one disobeyed the captain when he was serious.

Kitsune stared at the older man through the slants of his mask. He sighed and braced himself as he said, "It's just as you feared, sir."

"God dam it," the old man muttered as he stood up and pulled out his pipe.

Kitsune was uncharacteristically unsettled as his mentor began pacing about the room. It was like watching an agitated tiger pace back and forth in a cage, where the slightest disturbance would set it off.

 _'_ _Just what the village needed, right before the chunin exams. Especially with the concern of new villages entering the mix.'_

"Full report. Now," he curtly ordered.

Kitsune began recounting his discovery of the sight in Rain country and his frequent stops along the way to River Country. The Hokage was deeply disturbed by these discoveries.

This all but confirmed it. The genetics tests were one thing, but coupled with this evidence left no doubt in his mind.

He was harboring the supposedly dead grandchildren of the Tsuchikage.

Yuuto was becoming a bigger nuisance than he had originally thought. If he actually had the gall to attack the current kage's family, what else was he willing to do?

"The girl left a lot out of her description of events at the time. Maybe we should have her questioned again."

"I don't think that will be necessary," Kitsune cut in, "I have an answer for her actions"

The Sandaime was silent as he waited for him to continue. "When I accessed her mind to copy the memories into the totem jutsu, I met a lot of resistance along the way. I've experienced this before in patients suffering with severe trauma, and I guarantee she certainly went enough to warrant that. She probably suppressed the events immediately after the incident, and they have only started resurface recently."

"What could have set that off?"

"I don't know, but whatever it was, it pushed her to have her and her brother tested. The masked man seems to have been correct. The girl will never develop the kekkai tota, but her younger brother will without a doubt."

"Hmm," the Hokage mused.

"There is something else sir."

He paused as he made eye contact with the man. "Speaking of the masked man, there could be another reason why the girl had trouble with her memories. It was for half a second, but I saw it. His eye flashed red."

The Sandaime was silent as he fiddled with his pipe. This was growing more and more complicated by the minute.

"How sure are you?"

"Completely."

"I will look into that matter personally. Now, the real question is what are we going to do about them?"

"Sir?"

"The sentimental part of me would be delighted to reunite Ohnoki with his grandchildren, but we are dealing with very delicate times. Whose to say returning them to Iwa would be best for everyone? From your discovery, I'm certain Yuuto would make a move on the children."

"Not our problem sir."

The Hokage glared at him, but he did not flinch under his gaze. "I believe we should return them and avoid an international incident. Their safety after the exchange is up to the Tsuchikage."

"Kitsune, have I expressed how displeased I can be with your attitude?"

"Multiple times, sir."

He sighed as he took another puff of his pipe. "The children shall remain here for the time being. I need to think our options over very carefully. This needs to be handled with discretion, and I want to hear some outside opinions before I make up my mind."

"As you wish, sir"

"In the meantime, I want you to follow up om your lead on this tattooed man. I want something to give to Tsuchikage so he doesn't believe we orchestrated the attack on his family. I'd prefer it if you stayed in the village. I need every hand on deck for preparations for the chunin exam. I'll look into this masked individual myself."

He planned to send out a message in the paper. He had an old acquaintance to contact.

"Sir, do I have permission to interrogate the Zaofu prisoner?"

The Hokage thought it over, and gave him a nod. Kitsune bowed and said, "If that will be all sir, I'll be on my way." He disappeared in a shunshin, leaving the old man alone with his churning thoughts.

He called out for his secretary, who scrambled into the room.

"Yes, sir?"

"Send a message to Jiraiya. Tell him to double time it back to the village. I want him here before the first stage of the chunin exams begins. Also, clear out my schedule for the next hour, I am going for a walk.

She nodded and bowed as he walked past her and headed to the roof. He need time to clear his head and think this over. He would have to tread quite carefully.

* * *

"Alright men, this section of the house needs to be done by tomorrow, plow through the last two hours, and the first round of drinks on Saturday will be on me."

"Yes sir!" the workers echoed, as they continued their work newly invigorated.

"You certainly have a way with people," a man laughed behind him.

The man turned around and shook hands with Inoichi Yamanaka. "Sorry about my neighbors. I understand they can be difficult to deal with. I heard you guys had quite the time getting over here."

"That's an understatement," the architect laughed, "First, our quarters catch fire, and then we are raided by Iwa nin. I'm just glad everyone arrived here in one piece."

"I am as well. So is this your first time in Konoha?"

"Indeed. I've mostly traveled around the world; working in whatever country the industry sent me. As of now, the only hidden village I haven't worked in is the Hidden Mist."

"Oh, I wouldn't recommend that if I were you."

"I know. Pity about the state of their country. Has Konoha stated if they are going to intervene in the rebellion?"

"Couldn't tell you even if I knew. Maybe if they were to gain some ground we would consider it, but not yet."

"Right," he paused as he noticed the crane begin to raise the second level's roofing planks. "I'm sorry Yamanaka-sama. I have to oversee this transition. Legal issues and what not. It's been pleasant talking with you. Maybe we can catch up again later. I'm planning on staying in town for a while, and I'm interested in getting to meet new people. You are welcome to join my men and me on Saturday."

"I would love to. As long as you're still buying." He boomed out laughing as he shook the man's hand, and started heading back into his house.

The architect smiled as he watched his retreating form, and turned his attention back to the workers. Next week, the other architect, who was working on the clan's other house, would arrive, and he would finally catch a break to get to work.

Yoshio hid his smirk. Everything was going perfectly. Kakashi had not noticed his presence on the journey back to the village, and he was getting closer to the Yamanaka faster than expected. He glanced in the direction of the lone chunin in the trees across the street, and was thankful the security tailing him was quite light. Sooner or later, they would be gone, since the chunin exams would draw most of the village's attention.

It was almost time to really crack down on his mission.

* * *

Hiashi Hyuuga rubbed his temples before he took another sip of tea. He was incredibly tired from Hinata's disturbance the night before.

While he wished she could have been a little more patient about the matter, he was fascinated by the new discovery from the stone room. He took another sip of tea, as he glanced down at his notes.

He had read the story over and over again, creating notes linking it to the first half Hinata had revealed a month ago.

He sighed as he took another look at the mysterious story, written neatly in his daughter's handwriting. He picked up where the story had left off.

 ** _Over time, the fruits of their connection emerged and the rabbit goddess gave birth to two sons._**

 ** _These sons were also blessed with the power of the tree, and she finally learned to love._**

 ** _However, the seeds of mistrust had already been planted._**

 ** _The children grew up and played throughout the valleys of the land. They were allowed to roam freely, but they were given one rule: to never venture to the mountains of the Divine Tree._**

 ** _They loved their mother and heeded her warnings._**

 ** _Over time, they began to notice as villagers began disappearing from the settlements. Their mother comforted them that they were required for a peaceful ritual._**

 ** _One day, they were approached by a small, wise toad, which warned them of the injustices of their mother. If they sought the truth, they would have to venture into the forbidden lands._**

 ** _The younger brother, who loved his mother, was distressed, but stayed true to his mother's warnings._**

 ** _The older brother, who also loved his mother, was distressed, but like his brother, stayed true to his mother's warnings; until a young maiden he had cared for disappeared as well._**

 ** _The brothers confronted their mother, begging her to end the ritual, but she denied them, claiming it was necessary for the other's arrival._**

 ** _Curious by her vague response, the two brothers set out into the mountains and discovered the atrocities of the ritual._**

 ** _Spurred by this injustice, the brothers sought out the toad that dreamt, and began training to overcome their mother._**

 ** _They absorbed the power of the land, and honed the power of they had inherited until they were ready to face their mother._**

 ** _The seeds of her distrust proved fruitful, as her sons finally confronted her._**

 ** _Spurred on by the misery of her past, she disowned and battled them with the full might of the Divine Tree._**

 ** _For months on end they clashed._**

 ** _The earth shook and lightning clashed, as their battle raged upon the earth._**

 ** _Their battle shaped the continents as their power lashed upon the land._**

 ** _Eventually, the brothers were successful and sealed away the Rabbit Goddess forever._**

 ** _The earth was torn apart as the Moon was created to serve as the tomb of the ancient goddess._**

 ** _The Divine Tree was stripped of its power and placed into the body of the wiser, older brother._**

 ** _The older brother wanted to travel the world to heal the scars they had wrought upon its surface and people._**

 ** _The younger brother, who still cared for his mother, decided to guard her._**

 ** _He forged his own family, and together, they defended his mother off in the stars._**

 ** _Some of the younger brother's children eventually decided to leave their father, and ventured off into the world with his blessings. They too inherited the power from their grandmother. Their eyes would shine in the deepest darkness, and look into a person's very soul._**

 ** _Over time, the words of his mother troubled the younger brother, and he began to investigate the other's of which his mother had spoken._**

 ** _After his weary travels, the older brother adopted the title of sage, and finally decided to settle down with a wife._**

 ** _He too would foster sons, and, like his mother before him, would worry about the future power they would possess._**

 ** _Unlike his mother, he did not worry about them confronting him for his power, for he loved them with all his heart._**

 _ **One burned as bright as the sun and just about as subtle.**_

 _ **The other was as cold as the moon, and quiet as the night.**_

 _ **He was confident his sons would lead the world towards a brighter future.**_

 _ **However, their battle would shape the destiny of the world for generations to come.**_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Sorry the chapter was kinda short. Needed to get all of this stuff out of the way so we can sole focus on the Wave arc. Things finally start kicking off next chapter.**

 **Oh, everyone's a mess after last chapter's reveal with Kitsune. Why should I reveal everything up front? It's called a spoiler for a reason. However, I'll stop some of you now, and tell you, no it is not Nagato. Nagato is already Pain at this point in the story. As to his real identity, I'll leave that up to you to decide. If you remember, the whole point of Kitsune's original introduction was a fake out. His past is intentionally vague, which makes his identity open to interpretation. You guys should make your own decisions on his identity as more and more clues are provided.**

 **Speaking of Kitsune, I've been tossing around a cool idea for the story arc involving him, but I just can't seem to work it in anywhere without forcing it or taking up too much time away from the main story. So, how about this: would you guys be down for a short story involving Kitsune's first S-rank fight? It would not come out for a while, since I would have to plot out a new storyline, but I'm interested to hear your thoughts on the idea. Please leave a response in the reviews.**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To Lioness of the Leaf)**

 **I tossed around the idea Neji fighting Hinata a lot in the development process, but in the end, I sadly don't think it will happen. Yes, I think from a story perspective it makes a lot of sense, but if that happens, I can't do the fight in the exam stadium. I prefer the Naruto vs Neji fight as too important for the series. My personal favorite fight scene in any fan fiction is the Neji vs Naruto match in "Legacy of the Rasengan," so I'm really excited to take my own crack at it.**

 **(To LordTicky)**

 **I do plan on having Naruto learn some wind jutsu in the future, but I just didn't want to cover it at this time. If you have a character learn too many original jutsu in a fanfic at once, it can be hard for the reader to remember them all. That's why I kept it simple and only showed off 2 jutsu from Kitsune. So, yes, it will happen down the line.**

 **(To Kartikey)**

 **Oh shit, my bad fam. You are absolutely right. For now, just consider it an error in continuity. I'll go back and adjust the scene later.**

 **(To arinasution5) Good.**

 **(To NatLS)**

 **Really enjoyed that review. Like I said in the notes, he is not Nagato.**

 **Extra:**

 **There was some confusion about what exactly a Kekkai tota was. Let me elaborate here. We know about kekkai genkai like Haku's ice and Mei Terumi's lava style. These are formed from two or more chakra natures. Wind and Water for Haku, and Fire and Earth for Mei. (By the way, my favorite fight in the story involves her. You guys are going to love it.) Kekkai tota are very similar except the person has three chakra natures and combines all three. For example, the Tsuchikage's particle style is a kekkai tota.**


	20. Chapter 20 - The C-rank Curse

Chapter 20 – The C-Rank Curse

"Sensei, I believe we may have a problem."

"Hmm?"

They had been traveling for about 2 days now. Summer was drawing to a close in Fire country, as August drew closer with each passing day. Along the cooler borders near the ocean, the leaves were drawing closer to the tipping point of changing color. As they drew closer to Wave country, the air was becoming more and more pleasant, and the nearly unbearable heat of summer was edging away.

Hinata had frequently been scanning the area with her byakugan in the event a greedy bandit foolishly thought they would have the upper hand by attacking children.

Tazuna felt uneasy as he stared at the veins bulging around Hinata's eyes as she stared off in the distance.

"What is it?"

"I can see two enemy shinobi up ahead on the road hiding in a genjutsu. They appear to be waiting for someone."

"How far?"

"About a half mile away," she replied as she deactivated her byakugan.

"You mean to tell me you can actually see that far!" Tazuna whistled.

"The Hyuuga are a very prestigious clan within the Leaf. Their eyes allow them to perform incredible techniques, such as seeing great distances," Kakashi informed him.

"You don't say," Tazuna muttered as he stared at the cute little girl in a new light.

"Hinata, what rank would you place them based on their chakra levels?"

"Not very high. High genin or low chunin."

"Alright!" Naruto grinned as he started stretching his arms across his chest, "So what's the plan sensei?"

Kakashi closed his visible eye and hummed for a few seconds before looking down at his students and saying, "I don't know. You tell me."

"Huh?" was their uniform response.

He turned to face all of them and said, "This is your mission as much as mine. While I'm technically in charge, every leader should listen to the ideas of his subordinates. Being in command does not mean you have to think of everything. It just means you make the hard call of which decisions to make."

He paused as he let his words sink in. "While the threat level is relatively low, don't just slack off and consider this the same as one of our exercises. Even though I'm comfortable with your skill level, that does not mean you should give it anything less than your all. Even a genin can take down a kage if he is clever enough." He seemed to be staring straight at Naruto as he said this, causing the blonde to blush as the memories from the night he stole the forbidden scroll raced through his mind.

"So do any of you have any ideas you'd like to suggest?"

Sasuke and Naruto silent as they ran scenarios inside their heads. However, Hinata beat them to the punch as she slowly raised her hand and said, "Sensei, I think I have a idea."

He sent her a lazy gaze as he asked, "You think?"

She had certainly made progress overcoming her shyness over the few months with him and the boys, but every now and then she needed a little push to help her from reverting back to her previous state. Kakashi knew she needed positive support to help her progress, but he could not hold her hand forever.

She straightened her back and looked at him square in the eyes.

"I have a plan sensei."

 _'_ _Good'_ "Alright Hinata, let's hear it."

* * *

Gozu and Meizu, or the Demon Brothers as they liked to call themselves, were growing increasingly irritated. They had staked out this spot for over a week, just for this one day when their target would finally be heading home.

However, as the minutes ticked by, they began growing impatient. Their prey was taking longer than they had expected. Things weren't going to plan, and in the shinobi world, if your gut told you something was wrong, it was usually right.

It soothed their nerves when they finally saw the distant forms of the group approaching along the dirt road. The three genin up front were blissfully unaware of their presence as they loudly chatted amongst themselves. All three were smiling and the laughing over some joke the blonde had said. The brothers ignored them as their attention was set on the jounin, who was currently engaging in conversation with their target.

As the group passed by their puddle, they couldn't help but smirk. The jounin hadn't even given it a second glance. Konoha must have been slipping if this was the quality of shinobi they were producing. They silently rose out from their genjutsu and released their chain as they rushed at the jounin full tilt. He seemed utterly shocked as the razor edges dug into him, and he let out a yelp as they yanked on the cords to rip him to shreds.

Their confidence was short lived when the jounin's body went up in a puff of smoke. Their glee turned to shock as the bridge builder moved at impossible speeds for a man of his size and drove his fist into Gozu's gut. He gasped for air and barely had a second to register the pain as the small girl jumped across the bridge builder's back and delivered a nasty kick to his head sending him flying back.

Meizu was yanked along with his brother as the chain was still connected. He tried to release the chain from his gauntlet, but the two boys stopped him as they tackled him to the ground. He growled as he tried to pry them off and reach for a kunai, when suddenly the air was forced from his lungs. Something shifted and the weight on his chest seemed to triple as the boys crushed him.

What the hell was going on?

Gozu was in a similar frame of mind as he too was helpless under the weight of the small girl and bridge builder. Sure the guy was heavy, but there was no way he weighed this much.

These thoughts did not linger as a bolt of electricity burst from the trees and skewered the chain tying them together. Electricity raced along the metal cable, and they could only scream as a thousand volts coursed throughout their bodies. They didn't even notice as the genin and bridge builder disappeared in puffs of smoke.

As the final shocks dissipated, a blur raced from the tree line and their bodies screamed all over again as several light taps resulted in their muscles tensing up to a point where they couldn't move.

They groaned in pain as the young girl stood over their prone forms. She looked back the way she had came, and yelled, "We did it Kakashi-sensei! They have been immobilized."

"Very well done you three," Kakashi commended as he, the boys, and Tazuna, who was staring at all of them in a new light, walked out of the forest and joined Hinata to look down at their captives.

"I think you might have overdone it teme," Naruto said as he nudged the twitching form of Gozu with his foot.

"Still getting a hand of adjusting the voltage. Be thankful I didn't fry them," he said as he shot a glare down at the Mist nin.

' _They just continue to impress,'_ Kakashi thought as he looked down at the duo. Their sparring sessions in the mornings had certainly done a wonder for their teamwork. It was very ingenious for Hinata to incorporate all of their skills into one plan so quickly. Naruto would distract the two and restrict their movements by planting gravity seals on the clones, which would provide Sasuke a clear shot to inflict massive damage, while Hinata would sweep in to ensure they were immobilized.

Well crafted and well executed.

"Now then," Kakashi murmured as he turned his head towards Tazuna, who flinched under the man's gaze. "I believe you have some explaining to do."

* * *

With each step closer towards the cottage, the group felt more and more tense. Something was coming, that much they could tell. The clear sky of the late afternoon seemed like a taunting façade of the storm yet to come.

Hinata's byakugan was constantly active as she scanned the surrounding area.

"Kakashi-sensei. I'm still all for helping these people, but I gotta ask. What exactly are we in for?" Naruto asked.

"Could be anything. More than likely, whoever is sent our way will be a missing nin from the Hidden Mist Village just like those other two. Sasuke, don't even waste time with katon jutsu. If anyone shows up, hit them with your raiton jutsu and make it hurt."

"My pleasure," he smirked as he continued staring off into the trees.

Kakashi glanced at Hinata whose eyes were starting to water from the strain. She was never one to complain. None of them were. But this provided its own problem: they just never knew when to back down. "That's enough. Hinata take a couple minutes to rest your eyes."

"No! I can keep going sensei," she argued.

He had seen the drawbacks of overexerting the byakugan firsthand from his time in ANBU. He had been on a mission to Tea country where his teammate Tia Hyuuga had left his byakugan active for 3 hours straight. His eyes had been bloodshot, and he had to have his head bandaged up to prevent his retina from receiving any more light. It had taken him a month before his eyes were fully healed. For others, the side affects can have long term affects.

"I appreciate your determination, but I'll need everyone in top condition. Take a break, and that is an order."

She wanted to argue, but she deactivated her byakugan anyways and rubbed her sore eyes.

"You good?" Naruto asked placing a hand on her shoulder, while she wiped the water from her eyes.

"I'm fine. It just stings a little."

The group continued along the riverside for 15 minutes before Hinata's eyes stopped stinging. They had been slightly tinged red, but they finally settled back down to their pure white coloring.

Once she was comfortable they would be fine in short bursts, she reactivated her eyes and was startled by an unknown presence off to the right in the trees.

"Sensei!"

"Get down!" Kakashi barked, as he pulled Tazuna down with him. They all hit the deck as a massive hunk of metal sailed over their heads and slammed into the base of a tree to their left. A lone figure suddenly appeared on the handle of the blade and smirked down at the genin below him.

* * *

' _Oh, this is going to be fun,'_ Zabuza mused as the dense blankets of fog enveloped him.

The genin huddled around Tazuna as the fog seemed to close in on them.

The tomoes of Kakashi's exposed sharingan swirled as he stared off into the fog. He couldn't see a dam thing. The hidden mist jutsu was formed when the user infused his chakra into the water vapor in the air and spreading it out over a wide area. The more chakra the user had, the longer the mist lasted. What truly frustrated him was that it was almost impossible to see. It was like staring into a big cloud of chakra, making it impossible to discern Zabuza's location.

"Hinata. Can you still see him?"

"Hai sensei. While the fog is laced with his chakra, his body has the densest concentration. He's 25 degrees to your right."

"Oh, now that's just cheating," the voice taunted from the mist sending shivers down the genin's spines. "Having a Hyuuga on your team no fun. Now I'll have to go out of my way to take her head too."

"Like hell we'd let you!" Naruto yelled as he stepped in front of her.

"Really?" the voice taunted again, as a malevolent feeling crashed into their bodies. The world grew cold as the killing intent washed into their systems. Naruto had faced some awful killing intent in the village over the years so he handled it better than most, but what he had faced before was nothing compared to this. Sasuke's grip on his kunai grew rigid as his arm shook vigorously. Hinata was a wreck as the killing intent racked through her body. Memories of her father sending her that same disappointed look over and over again raced through her mind. It was too much! What was happening?

They didn't even notice what they were doing until a warm feeling rushed through their bodies, and they found Kakashi with his hands on their shoulders. They each looked down and were horrified at the sight of their kunais nearing their throats.

What had that done to them?

"Relax. Killing intent can be hard to counter, so listen up. It can be broken if your will overpowers the user's or if you inflict pain on yourself. Trust me and use the second method. You are not winning in a bout of wills with this man."

"At least let them try Kakashi. It would be entertaining to watch," a void whispered in front of them.

Kakashi tightened his grips on Hinata and Sasuke's shoulders as he offered them a reassuring smile.

"Don't you worry. I won't allow my comrades to die."

"Are you sure about that?" the voice cut in.

Hinata's eyes bulged and shouted a warning to her sensei, as Zabuza reappeared mid-swing behind Tazuna. The old man could only gasp as the blade raced towards him.

Kakashi's eyes widened as he turned around. He wasn't going to make it in time. Sasuke and Hinata were still recoiling from the shock of the killing intent and could only watch in horror as the blade connected with Tazuna.

Only for it to clang off his body as if it had struck a piece of metal. Zabuza frowned and grunted as his attention was forced to Kakashi, who was on him in seconds.

Tazuna was in shock as the genin looked down at Naruto's outstretched hand touching his leg. He was sweating bullets, but let out a sigh of relief as he tugged off a piece of paper from the man's leg.

"What just happened? What did you do?"

"I just increased the density of your body by 130%. Your matter was so concentrated that it would take a lot more force or penetrating power than that guy has to leave a scratch on you."

"Then why did you take it off? Put it back! Put it back! And place some on yourselves for god's sake," Tazuna exclaimed as he wave for the tag.

"No can do," Naruto wistfully muttered as he watched the tag begun to crumple up before igniting in flames. There went six hours of work down the drain, but hey, at least it had served its purpose. "I'm still testing them out. They never last very long and tend to burn out after the seal overloads itself. The seal can circumvent the necessary change in your mass or volume, but it eventually implodes on itself due to its limitations. Besides, that was the only one I had on hand. They take hours of time to even make one, and process is a bitch."

Tazuna wiped the sweat from his brow as Sasuke and Hinata just sent Naruto blank stares. It never stopped shocking them how much he knew about seals and physics. The guy could act like a child one moment, and then drone on and on about the magnitude of magnetic fields or something equally as complicated the next.

Their attention was shifted as they heard a violent crash of water over the river. Kakshi was doing all he could to redirect the blows from the massive sword. He glanced at his cracking kunai before launching it at Zabuza and reaching into his pouch for another.

Zabuza swung his sword in front of him and easily batted it away. He was on Kakashi in a heartbeat and they were locked in a dead lock once again.

"Got to admit. You're keeping up pretty well for a tree hugger. Then again, I'd expect no less from you, Kakashi."

"The same could be said for you, Demon of the Hidden Mist" Kakashi grunted as he started to feel Zabuza winning out in their contest of strength.

"I'm flattered people in Konoha know of my reputation," he smirked as he broke through Kakashi's block and continued his downward swing cleanly through the man's chest.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Hinata screamed.

Zabuza grinned until Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke.

' _Shadow clone! But when?'_

He was cut from his thoughts as he noticed a sizzling sound coming from the kunai still falling in the air. His eyes widened as he noticed the explosive note along the handle.

"Shit!"

The explosion rocked the surface of the river sending a giant ball of smoke into the sky. A few seconds later a hand breached the surface, and Kakashi pulled himself out from under the water.

"Set and match Zabuza."

He frowned when the water beneath his feet started to bubble. He could only widen his eyes as a dome of water burst forth and surrounded him, and Zabuza rose up from the water next to him.

"I couldn't agree more Kakashi," he grinned.

" _Water clone,'_ Kakashi thought _._

"You're faster than I thought, Kakashi. I didn't even notice you switching out for a clone. I assume it was when my line of sight was obstructed as I blocked your kunai."

Kakashi only glared at him from the confines of his prison.

"Now then. Let's get back to business shall we," Zabuza mused as he turned his attention back towards the genin along the shore. His grin hidden under his bindings widened as more clones rose from the surface of the river.

"Now kiddies. Are you going to continue to play ninja and try to protect that man? Or are you going to be nice little brats and make this easier on yourselves by getting out of the way?"

The group was silent as they glanced back at the man they were tasked to protect. Sasuke and Naruto shared a glance, and Hinata could only confusedly look between the two as some unspoken message was passed.

Sasuke smirked as he turned his attention back towards Kakashi. He glanced down at the water below his feet and back to him, causing Kakashi to widen his eyes as Sasuke started weaving through hand signs and Naruto crossed his fingers.

"Kage bunshin no jutsu!"

Twenty Naruto's burst into existence along the riverbed, and they let out a unanimous battle cry as they each drew a kunai and charged.

' _Stupid brats.'_ Zabuza mused as he ordered his clones to intercept them. They easily tore through the lines of clones, but movement on the beach drew his attention.

Electricity crackled from his fingertips, as Sasuke knelt down in front of the water.

He slammed his hands into the water shouting, "Raiton: Taser Current!"

Electricity raced across the body of water slamming into everyone in contact with it. Naruto and Zabuza's clones alike dispelled as 5000 volts of electricity raced through their bodies. The original Zabuza jumped in the air and tossed a kunai at the brat, while his hand stayed level just enough to keep Kakashi in place.

The man in question had his hands placed along the walls of his prison. His face was flushed with concentration as electricity cackled along his hands.

' _He's using nature manipulation to cancel out the jutsu! He must have a raiton affinity!'_

Zabuza's thoughts were disrupted as something speeded towards him. He saw the kunai flying towards him and cursed. He was still in midair from avoiding the current and barely managed to twist out of the way to ensure it didn't hit him.

As it passed, he noted its peculiar shape. His confusion was short lived as it was overcome by shock as the blonde kid appeared behind in a flash of yellow light.

The kid cried out as he slapped a piece of paper onto the sword on his back and formed a single hand seal. Instantly, Zabuza shouted as he was dragged underwater by the immense weight on his back. Naruto clutched the kunai in his hand as he disappeared in another flash and reappeared beside Hinata as Sasuke cancelled the jutsu in order to block the kunai sailing towards his face.

A smile flashed across his face before he inevitably hunched over and began throwing up excessively. Hinata's hands began to glow green as she rubbed his back. Even through the pain, he looked out to Kakashi on the water's surface and smiled. The second Hiraishin kunai Kakashi had given him was certainly pulling through.

Kakashi got to his feet and glanced down before Zabuza burst up from the water's surface. Opting to drop his sword for the time being rather than drowning, Zabuza sent Naruto a horrible glare, causing the genin to stumble back.

Zabuza was about to open his mouth when he received a nasty right hook to his face.

"Your fight is with me Mamochi."

Zabuza received two more nasty punches before he was able to start blocking.

The genin were entranceded as they watched the two A-rank shinobi hash it out. Their hands were like a blur as they raced through seals. Kakashi reached the end first as a raging tidal wave of water rose up behind him.

"What!" Zabuza shouted, as he was swept away by the raging typhoon. He slammed into a tree across the river and was bombarded by the onslaught of water. After it died down, he looked up to see Kakashi strolling towards him with a kunai in hand.

How? How had he done it? He had used the jutsu he had been planning. Could he actually see the future?

Any other thoughts were cut off as 3 sharp senbon pierced his neck. He gasped and slumped over as a masked figure appeared next to him.

Kakashi stopped and glared and the new arrival as he checked Zabuza's pulse.

The masked figure rose and turned to him. "Thank for your help in this endeavor Konoha-san. You have Kiri's gratitude for your assistance."

Kakashi simply nodded as he fought to remain conscious. That last jutsu had taken a toll on him. He berated himself as he nearly toppled over. He really had been slouching off. When was the last time he had actually taken the time to train by himself?

The Hunter-nin stared over his shoulder straight at the blonde across the river.

"You there. I require your assistance."

"Me?" Naruto exclaimed as Hinata helped him up. "What do you need me for?"

"Could you please remove the gravity seal you placed on the Kubikiribocho?"

"The Kubokirwhat now?"

"She means the sword Naruto," Kakashi panted.

"Oh right. I knew that. Should I do it sensei?"

"Go ahead." Kakashi knew he was in no condition to fight. The last thing they needed was starting trouble with Kiri hunter nin. "That sword is very important for Kiri. It's one of the seven legendary swords, and I'm sure the Mizukage would be very anxious to get it back."

Naruto nodded. As Hinata held him up, he formed one hand in a hand sign and held out his other as if he was holding a nob. He closed his eyes and began turning his hand counterclockwise.

After a few seconds, he reopened his eyes and sent the masked individual a smile. "All set."

The individual nodded and dived below the water's surface. Kakashi was on edge until the masked individual resurfaced and dragged the sword along to the riverbed. The hunter nin holstered the sword on their back and picked up the slumped body of Zabuza.

Something bothered Kakashi as he stared at Zabuza's body. In his current state, he couldn't tell what it was, but something wasn't right.

"You have my gratitude. I wish you well on your journey Konoha-nin."

With that, the masked individual bowed and darted off into the trees. As they got out of sight, Kakshi buckled and slumped over.

"Kakashi-sensei!" they yelled. Hinata and Sasuke raced over and lifted him up from the water's surface. On the shore, Tazuna had taken Hinata's place and was helping Naruto stay standing. He was blown away by what he had just witnessed. This was the caliber of soldiers the hidden villages produced?

Sasuke and Hinata carried the limp man over to their side of the river, and she began running her hands along his body bathing him in green light.

"That last jutsu really took a lot out of me. Doesn't help that the sharingan eats up a lot of chakra too," he chuckled.

Hinata frowned as her byakugan gazed over the man. He was desperately low on chakra. He would need a few days at the minimum before he would be capable of doing anything. He needed to start his recovery now.

"Sensei, you are dangerously short on chakra. I don't understand how you're even conscious."

"Through strength of will and plenty of fiber," he chuckled at her shift into her medical mindset.

"You need to rest. Now. Your body needs to start replenishing your chakra." She held up her hand as he started to argue. "Don't argue this with me."

"You're the medic," he surrendered. She placed her thumb on his forehead and began gathering chakra. "Don't fight this. Let it flow through your chakra network, or all it will do is give you a massive headache."

He nodded as she spread her chakra smoothly throughout his head. His eyes rolled up as he was forced asleep. She deactivated her byakugan and took a deep breath before standing back up.

She turned to Sasuke and asked, "Now what?"

She and Sasuke were relatively fine. Not too short on chakra, but enough to make them a little tired. Naruto and Kakashi were definitely out for the time being. Naruto had never bounced between two kunai points before and it had taken a lot out of him.

"Can you help carry the idiot?" Sasuke asked Tazuna.

"I'd be happy to," he responded over the blonde's objections as he lifted the boy onto his back.

"Help me with him," Sasuke said as he and Hinata lifted Kakashi onto their shoulders. He turned back to Tazuna and said, "Lead the way."

 **Author's Notes:**

 **We are finally getting into the Wave arc. (To be honest I completely forgot what the Demon Brothers looked like. When I went back and watched the scene from the anime, I was really surprised. I had been picturing them looking like Dosu for years.) Now, it pains me to admit it, but don't expect too much changing in this arc. The fights will certainly be different and maybe that will be enough for you guys, but it will basically follow the same formula. You know the one. The same pattern of repetition that almost every fanfiction falls into. This arc was never really in the forefront of my mind when I was planning out this story. In fact, I'm still debating what will be the final outcome. Will Zabuza and Haku live or die? Haven't decided yet, but you guys are in for some fun fights. More of the big changes will be happening as the chunin exams start getting into full swing.**

 **Also, I know the Hokage gave a whole speech about fulfilling the requirements of the C-rank missions, but I may just time skip over those to the start of the exams. They will still happen off-screen (or page…chapter…whatever you get the point), but I think they would hurt the flow of the story. Don't fret. I may return to them in omake chapters later down the road.**

 **Update: Possibly no chapter on Sunday. Have to travel to Jacksonville all day. However, my Saturday will be free for once, and I'll try to move the chapter release up to then.**

 **As a side note, if I were to do the Kitsune Omake, it would not be completely about his origin. It would just be a short story regarding his first major S-rank battle. It would give some sparing hints at his identity, but not every detail.**

 **Here is a predicament I'm facing: if I were to write it, it would take time away from the main story. Would you prefer it taking up one of the weekly slots, or release the whole story at once at a later date? Each option has its pros and cons. One lets me hear constructive feedback, but takes more time. The other is more fun for the readers since they can burn through the story. Please let me know in the reviews.**

 **While I want to keep the story a secret, I can tell you the title: "Kitsune Omake: Take Me to Church"**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To Lioness of the Leaf)**

 **Sakura would be a good opponent, if it weren't for one small problem: Byakugan vs genjutsu. Not really a fair fight. Literally as I'm typing this, I've thought of some ways that I could make it work, but I really want to put Sakura on display too and I can't really do that against an opponent, who can see through genjutsu. Sakura has never really been my favorite character (and honestly I never liked her in Part 1), but even I feel like she deserves some time to shine.**

 **(To )**

 **In this story, just consider kekkai tota the same as kekkai genkai, just more special. I consider it as a genetic trait that is passed down through one's family. I suppose in the original anyone could technically be taught it, but I chose a different path for this story.**

 **(To ND99sama)**

 **Yeeaahh hehe (scratches head). You kinda got me there. I just wanted to get certain things out of the way and remind the reader of certain stories, before we solely focus on the Wave Arc. I may go back at a later date and fix it up a little.**

 **An omake involving suicide sets? Hmm. Not a bad idea. I'd have to think of some inventive segments if I were to actually make it. Honestly, suicide sets are just supposed to be the worst kind of physical training you can imagine. Like imagine the worst possible day of training for a Marine and multiply it times 4.**

 **Why doesn't the girl have the kekkai tota? In this story, I'm viewing kekkai tota as a genetic trait. Not everyone in a family with a blood limit necessarily has to inherit it from their parents. For example, not every Uchiha had the sharingan.**

 **(To Guest review to Ch 18)**

 **Dude, are you reading my mind? When I first drafted this story, I actually had planned on introducing a Fox sage mode. It was fueled by aggression, instead of tranquility like the toads. In the original draft of this story, Naruto could control the Hiraishin completely. As I added more and more abilities, I admitted to myself he was getting too overpowered so I scrapped it. I also decided to limit his use of the Hiraishin in part 1 to also make him on par with his teammates.**


	21. Chapter 21 - Guilt and Contact

Chapter 21 – Guilt and Contact

Tsunami tightened her nightgown as she made her way down stairs. She had been violently woken up by the banging that echoed throughout the house. Inari rubbed his eyes as he drearily followed her.

"Who is it mom?"

"I don't know sweetie. I'm going to check."

The knocking on the front door continued as a voice cried out, "Tsunami! Tsunami, it's me! I'm back!"

Relief flooded through her body as she rushed towards the door.

"Father, where have you been? You should have arrived hours ago! You've had us worried sick!" she chastised as she unlocked the door. She swung it open and her breath caught in her throat.

She was stunned by the strange image before her. Her father had a blonde young boy passed out on his back and behind them were a young girl and boy holding up a passed out gentleman with white hair.

"Heh heh. You could say we ran into some trouble on the way here."

* * *

Kakashi winced as he slowly opened his eyes. He felt like hell. Every muscle in his body screamed at him, as he tried to sit up.

"Don't! Please stay still Kakashi-sensei."

He lay back as Hinata jogged up to him, and ran her hands above his chest as a green soothing chakra poured into his system.

"How long was I out?"

"About two days sensei. Your chakra levels were severely low after that last attack."

"That's what I get for copying a jutsu I've never used before. Zabuza's chakra levels must be insane if he was going to casually throw that jutsu around," he winced.

"What do you mean?"

"I'll give you the full talk about the sharingan, when everyone is present. I don't want to have to repeat myself. I you want the gist of it, I'd never used that jutsu before, and it drained a hell of a lot more out of me than I thought it would."

That was one of the dangers of the sharingan. It could copy any jutsu and permanently imprint it in the owner's mind, but that did not mean it made the jutsu any easier to use. If he was being honest with himself, the fact that the jutsu required an enormous amount of chakra wasn't the only reason he was in this state. Since he had left ANBU to settle down and train a team, he had become somewhat lax in his training. For three years he waited to find a team, but none ever caught his eye. In that time, he had become reliant on his natural talent and intuition to get him through any missions he was sent on in the meantime.

Oh the lecture sensei would have given him if he could see him now.

"How long until I'm fully healed?"

"It would have said five days from the incident, but I've been speeding up the process. You should be fully healed by late tomorrow evening."

"At least that's some good news. You and the boys are going to be busy in the meantime."

"What do you mean?"

"Go fetch them and bring them back here. We need to talk. Our work isn't finished yet."

She was worried, but did as he said and went downstairs. Kakashi closed his eyes as he thought back to his encounter with the hunter-nin. He had been on the verge of passing out, and only hung on through sheer willpower. If he had been fully attentive, he would have noticed at the time what was wrong.

The hunter-nin had not followed protocol.

Zabuza would be coming back.

* * *

' _What am I going to do with them,'_ Kakashi mused as he stared at his team. He was supporting himself with crutches as they stood in the woods a short distance from the cottage.

"I'm willing to bet that we'll have about week until Zabuza decides to show his face again, and next time he won't be alone. You all have come a long way during our time training, and I'm certain if you work together you can take out his companion."

"You know it sensei! Just leave it to us!" Naruto boasted with a grin.

"However, it will not be as simple as that," Kakashi cut him off.

They were silent as he continued, "Remember, their objective is not about settling a vendetta, although I'm sure Zabuza wouldn't mind getting another crack at us. Their objective is taking out Tazuna. I can't protect him, focus on Zabuza, and worry about his companion all at the same time. You boys are going to have to work out protecting Tazuna and dealing with the hunter-nin at the same time."

"What about me sensei?" Hinata asked.

He gave her a silent look before he replied, "You're going to be helping me with Zabuza."

She eyes were wide and her knees started to shake.

"What the hell do you mean sensei? Hinata-chan is amazing, but she can't take down a A-rank criminal!" Naruto shouted as he stepped in front of her.

"I agree. She's incredibly skilled, but she's not up for fighting a jounin. None of us are," Sasuke cut in.

"I don't expect her to, but her byakugan can see through his hidden mist jutsu. It is irritatingly a rather good deterrent against my sharingan, so I'm going to need her to help locate Zabuza."

"So what? That just means he'll target her instead of you," Naruto shouted.

"You're right. That is why I don't plan to have her with me the entire time, which brings me to my next step. Naruto I'm going to need you to design a seal for me."

The concern did not leave Naruto's face, even when faced with the prospect of a new seal challenge.

"What do you mean sensei?"

"I want you to find a way target Zabuza in the mist. If I can have Hinata help keep track of him until we can find a way to plant a tracker, then it will make it easier and faster for me to take him down before he decides to take a swipe at Tazuna."

Naruto closed his eyes as he rubbed his chin. "I suppose I could try. I have a couple ideas, but I would need some time to figure it out."

"You have six days. Concentrate and get it done."

"Fine, but if I can't, I don't want you placing Hinata-chan in Zabuza's way!"

"That's fair enough, though it doesn't matter unless Hinata is willing to do it. I won't put her in a position she's not comfortable with," he said as they turned their attention to her.

Hinata was quivering at the thought of having to face that man directly again. The last time she had been close to him, he had nearly driven Sasuke and herself mad with his toxic presence. She had grown leaps and bounds over the last few months, but she was still a teenage girl faced with an opponent who would kill her without a second's hesitation.

She had questioned herself in the past whether or not the Hokage had made the right decision in placing her on this team. After their run-in with the Iwa nins at the lumberyard and the progress they had made in training, she had begun to feel that maybe she did deserve this spot on the team.

Yet, when faced with an overwhelming threat, she tensed up and was too scared to act. She looked at the two boys and was surprised by their grave looks of concern. Naruto's words rang through her mind. He was right. She couldn't take on an A-rank criminal. He was out of her league. He had been so fast on the road that even though she could see him, he still broke through their guard.

However, the boy's other words ran through her head as well. They both thought she was skilled. "Amazing" even. She realized their looks of concern didn't mean that they didn't think she was too weak to handle it, they just wanted to look out for her.

This roused something inside her. She was surprised when she identified the feeling. She was eager. Eager to prove them wrong. She had always considered herself below the two of them, and she had been driven to catch up to them. Now she realized, she didn't want that. She wanted to go past them as well. To prove to them that she could handle anything thrown at her.

If they need her to do this, she would try her best.

She didn't fully stop shaking, but she looked Kakashi dead in the eyes and said, "I can do it sensei. I will try my best to help you."

' _That's my girl_ ,' Kakshi pleasantly thought as he straightened his back.

"Alright. In any case, that means that you two boys will have to deal with his accomplice and guard Tazuna simultaneously."

"I got Tazuna, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto firmly stated.

They were all surprised by his declaration. "Really? You actually want to be the one to guard him?"

"I got a trick up my sleeve that will make guarding him a breeze. Not even Zabuza will be able to get past me," he smugly stated.

"That's a pretty big claim. Is that all talk, or do you actually have something planned?"

"I'll be ready for anything he can throw at me sensei. Don't you worry, and I'll be able to help Sasuke-teme out with the other guy."

"You can't just leave clones Naruto."

"I don't intend to. Trust me sensei, I got it."

Kakashi nodded. "Alright then. I'll leave it to you, which means you'll be dealing with the hunter-nin, Sasuke until his little project is complete."

Sasuke smirked as he shot Naruto a grin. "Just try to not to beat him too badly until I get a shot in," the blonde grinned back.

"Alright. With that taken care of, let's discuss what we'll be doing in the meantime. Naruto and Sasuke, you two will be alternating guarding Tazuna throughout the week. Naruto, whenever you are guarding Tazuna, I want you to have a clone at the house working on your idea. Otherwise, I want all of your time being spent on your tracking seal."

"You got it sensei!" he replied as he saluted.

"Sasuke, I want you practicing your raiton jutsu. Your opponent is likely to be from Kiri as well, and will likely specialize in suiton jutsu. Try to reduce the charging time for some of them."

"Got it."

"Hinata, you and I will be prepping for dealing with Zabuza. You three are already fast, but you'll need to be faster to deal with Zabuza's speed. Are we clear?"

"Yes sensei!" the echoed together.

"Good. Naruto, get to work on that seal. Sasuke, you'll be guarding Tazuna today. I'll meet up with you around 1:00."

"Roger," they replied as headed back to the house, leaving the two alone.

After he was sure the boys were out of earshot, Kakashi turned to her and said, "Hinata, I want to make sure you are absolutely comfortable with this. You don't have to save face in front of the boys."

"It's not that sensei," she muttered as she twisted her shirt, "I don't want them to keep seeing me as someone who needs to be protected."

"I wouldn't say they think that. They know how capable you are."

"Maybe, but unconsciously they might think differently. I don't just want to prove them wrong, I want to make it so there is no doubt in their minds that I can take care of myself."

She was quiet before she muttered, "I also want to prove it to myself."

Kakashi winced slightly as he knelt in front of her. "I proud of you for pushing yourself to take that step out of your comfort zone. In my eyes, you have already proven you are a fine kunoichi. If I wasn't sure you could handle it, I wouldn't have asked."

Her face lit up in a small smile, and the faintest blush crept to her cheeks. "Thank you sensei."

"No problem. Now let's get down to work. Are you ready?"

"Yes sensei."

"A little louder."

"YES SENSEI!"

"That's what I like to hear. Now, we are going to focus on getting you fast enough to keep track of Zabuza."

"How are we going to do that?"

"I'm going to teach you a well-known technique called forcing. You already know that pumping chakra into various parts of your body can help you move faster, jump higher, and hit harder. Forcing involves spreading chakra across your body at once, causing your brain to work overtime. You'll think faster and move more smoothly than ever before."

It couldn't be that easy. "What's the downside sensei?"

"The downside is that it eats up _a lot_ of chakra. I mean _a lot._ You have certainly increased your reserves over the last month; I won't deny that, but not quite enough to continuously use forcing. Even I can't keep it up for long. You're going to have to learn how to shut it on and off frequently to conserve chakra. Your Lion Fang technique will also help you with this by stealing your opponent's chakra. Please activate your byakugan and I will give a demonstration"

He smiled as he began forming chakra and the veins around her eyes started to jut out.

She was going to be ready. He just knew it.

* * *

Naruto pulled at his hair.

"Dammit, dammit, dammmit!" he cursed.

He had been at this for 3 days now, and he had little to show for it. Oh, he had plenty of ideas of how to keep track of Zabuza, but each of them involved getting Hinata closer and closer to the missing-nin than he was comfortable with.

You couldn't just track a seal just because it exists. It had to release a signal that could be followed. His first thought had been to use radio waves. By setting up two transmitters on the bridge and one on Zabuza, he could create a seal to help triangulate his location and send the information to Kakashi. Trouble was, that this would take a long time to write out, and take up a lot of space. Plus it would put Hinata in danger, so no go.

Next he had thought of using magnetism. If he could form a seal to make Zabuza's sword a charged south magnetic pole, he could create a sort of compass for Kakashi to follow. Again, this involved them getting up close and personal, plus Zabuza could just ditch the sword leaving it pointless.

It all came down to how comfortable he was with letting Hinata get close to that man. The thought of her so close to danger brought an aching pain to his chest.

He was at an impasse. If he decided not to make the seal, Kakashi might make her stick with him the entire time in order to keep track of Zabuza. If Naruto did make a seal, he would have to put her in harms way.

"Dammit!" he reiterated as he bang his fist on the ground.

"Something I can help you with?" a kind voice called out.

He was startled and turned around to see one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen approaching him. A slender girl was so close that he was surprised that he had missed her presence.

"Who are you?"

"Just a friend," she said simply, "but you can call me Haku."

"Ur, hello. Well I'm Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki. What are you doing out here?"

"I'm just gathering some herbs for a ointment I'm preparing. I think the real question is what are you doing out here? This doesn't seem like the best spot to work."

He was sitting in a clearing out in the middle of the woods, with his books and supplies scattered around him.

"Being in nature helps me think. I've always liked to come out into the woods whenever I'm facing a new problem."

"That's very well said. That shows a very mature outlook for your age."

"Hey, you're not much older than me!"

"I suppose not. Now, what seems to be troubling you so much?"

He was quiet as he stared at his hands in his lap. He didn't know why he felt like talking to this person, but his stress had been building over the last few days and he needed an outlet.

"I'm stuck in a bad spot. A friend of mine could be in serious danger, unless I work something out. She could be seriously hurt if I don't do this."

"You make it seem like she can't protect herself."

"That's not true at all!" he retorted as he sprung up, "She's amazing! She can kick so much ass with her special taijutsu thingy and her made-up moves!"

"Yet, you seem to think that it is your mission to protect her."

He was silent as he stared back at the ground. "I just want to make sure she stays safe."

"It sounds to me like this person is very important to you," Haku smiled gently.

Images from their first day of their training flashed to his mind. He remembered his feeling of utter content as the three of them dozed off against the training posts. Their warm bodies pressed against his had filled him with a strange feeling he had never really felt before.

"Yeah, I guess she is. Both of them are," he murmured.

"Well, I think that is a very good mind set to have. You see, I believe that when a person has something important to protect, that's when they truly become strong."

The girl paused as she let her words sink in. "I don't know if it's any consolation, but if your friends feels in any way the same as you do for them, I'm sure they can overcome whatever obstacle seems to be in their way. You said for yourself that you trust this person's abilities. Maybe it was about time that you proved it."

Naruto eyes slightly widened as the girl's message sunk in. Maybe he had been looking down on her. He had let her go off after the Iwa-nin because he had been to exhausted to do anything, but the moment he could move, both he and Sasuke had torn after her worried sick. Maybe they were coddling her. It was time they took a step back and let her rise to the challenge.

He slightly blushed as he realized he had been silent for an awkward amount of time. He tried not to make eye contact with the girl as he tried to think of something else to say. "Y-you said you were looking for herbs right? Do you mind if I help?"

She closed her eyes and offered him a smile. "I would be happy if you did."

So the two of them set out gathering the necessary plants. It was actually relaxing for him as they searched for the specific kinds Haku needed. It helped relieve some of the tension that had been building up in him for some time.

After they were done, they stood smiling across from each other.

"You know, you actually kind of remind me of my friend."

"Oh, really? Why is that?"

"She makes ointments too. But you're both soft-spoken and have a way with calming me down."

Haku offered a smile. "May I ask her name?"

"It's Hinata."

"That's a lovely name. Well, I thank you for your assistance. These will be perfect to help the one I hold special. I'm sure you will be able to solve your little problem. Maybe try to approach it from a new angle."

With that, she offered one last smile as she started heading out of the clearing.

"Oh, and…" Haku had his back turned so he couldn't see what Naruto's reaction would be, but he was willing to bet it would be hilarious. "I'm a boy."

Haku's prediction came true as Naruto's eyes bulged out of his head. His jaw dropped to the ground as he clutched his head.

 _'_ _NOOOO! HE'S EVEN PRETTIER THAN HINATA-CHAN!"_

Haku gave one last chuckle as he waved over his shoulder and walked away.

* * *

Everyone else had long since returned to the cottage that night, before Naruto returned. Inari was quiet upon his arrival and left the table in a hurry. After their argument the previous night, he didn't feel like being in Naruto's presence.

"Any progress?" Kakashi piped up from his newspaper.

"I've had a lot on my mind," was his response.

 _'_ _I guess not,'_ Kakashi frowned. When it came to seals, Naruto was usually better than this. What was holding him up?

Naruto shuffled his way to the table and stood in front of Hinata. He avoided eye contact as he uttered, "Could we talk outside? Alone?"

She was surprised and fought back a blush as she nodded.

Sasuke sent them a confused glare as the two headed outside. What were they talking about that they couldn't discuss here?

All the while, Kakashi was studying his reaction. It would be troublesome for the team dynamic to be disrupted by something as petty as jealousy.

* * *

Naruto shuffled his feet as he stared at the ground. He didn't know what made this so difficult.

Hinata actually had to stifle a laugh. This was a complete role reversal. Usually, she was the one too nervous to talk.

"H-how's your training coming along," Naruto asked.

Hinata could tell this wasn't really what he was after, but she replied, "It's going well. I've got the basics of the technique. It's just a matter of turning in on and off fast enough so it doesn't massively drain on my reserves."

"Good, good," was his reply.

They awkwardly stood there in a few minutes of silence, as the full moon reflected on the water.

Finally, Hinata started to ask him what was wrong, when he said, "I'm sorry."

She blinked and stared at him. She was confused. What did he have to be sorry for?

"I haven't been fair to you."

"What are y-"

"No, I have. I could have had multiple seal ideas done days ago, but I haven't because I didn't want you to have to get so close to Zabuza. I've been a bad friend and a bad teammate. I should trust you enough to take care of yourself. I've just been so worried that I didn't offer you the respect you deserve. I want to apologize."

Hinata's eyes softened and she gave a kind smile. "I accept your apology Naruto-kun. While I can understand why it's troubling you, it also means a lot that you care."

They both started blushing and their smiles lit up the dark night.

"Besides," she said as she shot him an uncharacteristically sly smirk, "I don't want to just be equal to you boys anymore. I want to be ahead of you."

"Waah? Where is that coming from?" he asked as he took a comical step back.

"Let's just say I have a long way to go before I earn the spot that the Hokage has granted me on Team 7," she said as determination gleamed in her eyes.

"What are you talking about? You've already done that. You took out two chunin all by yourself. That's incredible."

"Maybe, but not compared to the legends who were on this team before us. I want to live up to their legacy."

Naruto's mind flashed back to the conversation he had with Kakashi when he gave him his second Hiraishin kunai. He had been ecstatic when he found out his current sensei had been taught by his idol, but he never really made the connection that the Yondaime had probably been on Team 7 as well. This made him curious. Whatever happened to the Yondaime's teammates? What were they like?

"So what do you think you are going to do about the seal?" Hinata asked breaking his train of thought.

"I don't know," Naruto replied as he rubbed his head. "Every seal I've thought of involves you guys tagging Zabuza with it, and I doubt he's going to just let you. He's also not going to wait around for you to spout off his location to Kakashi-sensei. He'd be on you guys in a heartbeat before you could even…"

His eyes widened as he finished, "speak."

"Hmm?"

Naruto's mind was racing as Haku's words raced through his head.

' _Maybe try to approach it from a new angle.'_

All this time he had been basing the designs of his seals by requiring Zabuza to be tagged. A new train of thought entered his mind, and he shot Hinata one of his signature cheshire grins.

"What is it? Did you think of something?" she asked excitedly.

He smirked and replied, "What if we don't have to tag Zabuza?"

She sent him a confused look. "What do you mean? That's the whole point of you creating a seal."

"No, the point is so we can track Zabuza in the mist! Kakashi-sensei never said Zabuza had to be the one we planted a tag on. He just needs to be able to keep track of Zabuza's location!"

"I'm still not sure I follow."

"I'll explain it inside. Come on!"

He grabbed her arm and started pulling her back towards the house. She was dragged along and barely kept up as they rushed back inside.

Naruto kicked open the door and raced to the table in a blur of yellow and navy.

"I got it Kakashi-sensei! I got a plan for putting down that Zabuza-teme!"

Kakashi kept his composure as he sent him a bored look. On the inside, he was smirked. Whatever the two had discussed, it had certainly raised the blonde's spirits and given him the boost he needed to figure out his seal problem.

"Alright then, let's hear it."

* * *

Time flew by, and before they knew it, a week had come and gone. They were more somber than usual that day. As of now, Zabuza could return at any moment, and this time he wouldn't be alone. That morning they all set out with Tazuna, with Naruto leaving a few clones behind with Inari and Tsunami.

As they drew closer to the bridge, Naruto's nose started twitching and a pungent odor filled his nose. He may not have been an Inuzuka, but his nose was almost as good as one's. He growled placing them all on edge.

He smelt blood, and a lot of it.

They finally arrived at the bridge, and Tazuna let out a cry of horror. The bodies of his workers were sprawled across the bridge, soaked in blood. Kakashi frowned as an ominous mist started enveloping the group and they all took up sides around Tazuna. From the other side of the bridge, they could see two dark shadows drawing towards them.

Each of them tensed as the forms of Zabuza and the hunter-nin clearly came into view. Zabuza was sporting a different outfit from their first encounter and he had his head tilted in a playful manner. However, his eyes were just as full of bloodlust as they had the first time they saw him.

"You know, it's not polite to keep people waiting Kakashi, and I believe we are due for a rematch," Zabuza taunted as he hefted the ridiculously sized blade from his shoulders.

Kakashi remained silent as he raised his headband over his left eye revealing the three tomoes of the sharingan. He sent his team a quick glance, and they returned it with a nod. They all knew what to do.

"Naruto, you're up. You asked for the job, and you've got it. Make sure nobody gets to Tazuna."

"You got it sensei!"

With that, Naruto summoned 4 clones, which surrounded the old bridge builder. They reached into their bags and pulled out vials of ink and several brushes as they began drawing intricate symbols on the ground. Sasuke pulled out a kunai as he stepped in front of the group of clones, and sent a glare at the masked boy across from him. He couldn't help himself when he started shaking. He was just too excited by the prospect of fighting a worthy opponent.

The fog fully encased the group, and Kakashi felt Hinata leave his side. She had her preparations to complete as well.

Tazuna could only gulp as he felt the killing intent of the Demon of the Mist rise and direct towards him. All of this was because of him. He glanced down at the blonde boys busy at work beside him, and made a silent prayer that no one would have to die because of him.

Whether he liked it or not, by the end of that day, someone on that bridge was going to end up dead.

Kakashi's glare didn't change as he dived headfirst into the mist after Zabuza, who leaped back into the obscure safety of the mist.

He wasn't worried about his students' abilities. He was worried about when it would all go to shit.

Because even the best laid plans fall apart upon contact with the enemy.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **YES! Another cliffhanger! I'm reeeaaallly sorry. The chapters are just not long enough for me to cram everything in (I once tried uploading a chapter with 10 thousand words in it one time, but my internet speed wouldn't let me. So I had to split it up into two parts. I believe it was chapter 7 and 8.) Anyways, we are breezing through the wave arc and getting right into the final fight. I skipped over the Inari stuff since we've all read it before. We know what happens. We've been down this beaten path hundreds of times, and there's not much that can really be changed about it.**

 **Sorry that Sasuke didn't really get much time in this chapter. Don't worry, he'll be a big factor in the next one. We all know what major development he'll be undertaking in this battle.**

 **You guys should really enjoy this fight. The tactics are going to be inventive and the battle will shift from the established chain of events, as we know them (or else it's no fun otherwise).**

 **I'll try to get another chapter up tonight to not keep you in suspense. Sad to say, but there will be no chapter on Sunday like we usually do. Like I've said, I'm heading up to Jacksonville and I don't know what time I'll be returning. I hope two chapters today can satiate your thirst.**

 **But holy shit! I was checking the story stats Friday morning and shocked that you guys didn't just beat the old record, you blew it out of the water. With only one new chapter, we hit 4.47 thousand views in one day. That's insane! That beats our previous record 3.6 thousand by a large margin. Thank you guys so much. It's so awesome seeing more and more people jumping aboard.**

 **I checked my phone my Friday and was shocked by an email I received. It couldn't be true… But it was. Guys…Santa Claus is now a follower of my story. Crowning achievement of my life. (That is an amazing username!)**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To MoonlitMelody)**

 **I actually appreciate the criticism. Every comment can't be praise, and I appreciate you voicing your honest opinions. It helps let me know what's working, and what is not.**

 **I'm actually a physics major, and I like trying to incorporate what I've learned into my works, especially since I view fuinjutsu as a sort of written contract with the universe. For those of you who don't know, density = mass/volume (didn't know you'd be getting a physics lesson did you?). That means for the density to increase, the volume has to decrease. For Tazuna, his density was increased so much that if it had continued, he would have imploded by the dramatic decrease in volume.**

 **I also agree on the OP distance of the byakugan. I actually should have looked into its maximum distance, but I wanted to use a length far enough where they could continue talking without the Demon Brothers noticing them.**

 **(To Kelvin King)**

 **There's no need to rush baby. We get there, when we get there (ouch, I sounded like a parent). If you think about it, most stories would have already reached this point around the same time as the Iwa-lumber mission. I wanted to take my time and develop the other characters, so their jutsu and abilities didn't seem to come out of nowhere. I also have to take the time and set up plans for the future, so they don't feel as if they had come out of left field later.**

 **Jiraiya will certainly be a driving factor for Naruto's development.**

 **(To bigfan22)**

 **Oh, trust me. The biggest scene in the time skip is exactly that.**

 **(To )**

 **…** **maybe. I've actually gone over that a few chapters ago in one of the Author's notes, but you're right on the money.**

 **(To Lioness of the Leaf)**

 **You right. I do plan on getting Hinata and Sasuke in on the tag team action. It's just that Naruto and Sasuke share a special connection that we all know about. If you think about it, they've known each other for centuries. This innate sense of understanding will also be a plot point very soon.**

 **(To NatLS)**

 **Like I said, it wouldn't be his full back-story. It would just give you a better idea of who he is, give you a kick ass action scene, and hint at where he came from. Oh, trust me. You'll all be in for a shock from that reveal (though it won't happen for a loooooong time).**

 **(To luqie10)**

 **I know it's not a genetic trait in canon. However, I am using it that way to better fit the story.**


	22. Chapter 22 - Battle on the Bridge

Chapter 22 – Battle on the Bridge

Zabuza had his eyes closed as he crept throughout the mist. Despite what his towering figure and giant sword would suggest, he was actually quite light on his feet. It was a necessity for users of the Hidden Mist Jutsu. While the target's vision was impaired, the user could still be found if they were too noisy in their approach.

Zabuza moved with the patience of a cat as he stalked Kakashi. His steps were virtuously soundless, which was certainly impressive for someone whose weapon of choice was a broadsword/cleaver.

Haku had been sure to fill him in on the effects of the sharingan over the past week. Its tricks wouldn't work on him if he kept his eyes shut, and he had been practicing attacking targets blindfolded since he was a child.

He had been creeping up on Kakashi's left side, when the man's head swiveled in his direction and he fired off a volley of kunai. Zabuza was surprised but was able to block the kunai with his sword. Keeping his eyes closed, he retreated into the mist as Kakashi raced after him. He pumped chakra into his feet and retreated further back along the bridge.

He was curious how Kakashi had detected his presence. He was sure he had been completely silent, and he hadn't been leaking any killing intent. While it would work on the brats, it wouldn't work on someone who had been through the shit ANBU had to deal with.

While Kakashi was closer to the right side of the bridge, Zabuza decided to take the opportunity to get closer to the bridge builder. He started creeping up the left side, but was startled when he detected Kakashi racing towards him again.

He was on him in a heartbeat, and Zabuza was having a difficult time guarding himself without the use of his eyes. He sprang into the air and fired off a Water Bullet jutsu, as he retreated back towards the incomplete side of the bridge.

One time was by chance, but Kakashi had detected him twice now. Something didn't add up and it didn't sit right with him. He was a master at silent killing, and he was properly regarded as one of the greatest users of the techniques in several generations. So how the hell was Kakashi following him?

He could sense every presence inside of the mist, and he could tell the Hyuuga girl was not with him. He wasn't using an earpiece either, since he would have heard him talking.

What the hell was going on?

* * *

Haku had sprung into action the moment Naruto started inscribing something on the ground. He had seen how clever the blonde boy could be with fuijutsu with that strange teleportation technique and the gravity seal from their last encounter. He was not anxious to find out what tricks the boy had in mind.

He was intercepted by the Uchiha boy, who sent him a cold stare.

"Your fight is with me."

The two clashed as Sasuke blocked against Haku's impeccable use of senbon. He handled the needles just as well as Sasuke handled kunai. He was surprised how well the tiny needle-like weapons held up against the force of the boy's strikes.

They clashed once agaim. As they fought for dominance, Haku swiftly kicked out one of Sask.'s legs causing him to slightly stumble. In his moment of weakness, Haku palmed three senbon and flung them over the Uchiha's shoulder.

Two raced towards the clones and one was sent directly at Tazuna himself. The old man flinched as the original Naruto reached up and took the attack with his left hand. He winced at the pain as the two clones on his left and right were popped. He tugged out the senbon, which stung like hell, and clasped his hands back together into his favorite seal. Immediately, two clones appeared in the placed of the destroyed ones and continued working as if nothing had happened.

' _I see he is quite skilled with that technique,'_ Haku thought to himself, as Sasuke re-engaged him. ' _If I'm going to get at the bridge maker, I'm going to have to take out the original first. Not that the Uchiha is making it very easy for me.'_

Immediately afterwards, Haku caught a nasty uppercut from Sasuke, followed by a round kick sending him flying backwards down the bridge.

Sasuke smirked as he settled back into his neutral stance. This is what he had been looking forward too: a real challenge against an opponent, who could actually draw out his full strength.

His spars against Hinata and the dobe over the past two months had been challenging in their own ways, but there was little variation. Over time, he would begin to expect certain maneuvers and fall into a pattern. Besides, he knew those battles were never truly dangerous. The worst that could happen would be a little damage to his pride.

This opponent was someone who wouldn't hesitate to kill him, and he loved every moment of it. This was real and it would push him to his limits.

His eyes flashed as he raced towards his opponent.

The hunter nin began flashing through seals and whispered, "Suiton: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death."

The water hanging in the mist started to compress and shape into razor sharp needles all aimed at him. The hunter nin lowered his hand, and they all raced towards him.

Sasuke flew through his own seals shouting, "Katon: Fireball Jutsu!"

The ball of fire raced towards the needles, evaporating them on contact. It continued to surge forward, forcing Haku to jump back. He raced through more seals before stopping and shouting, "Suiton: Water Wall!"

The water gathered on the bridged and in the air, gathered in front of him and compacted into a dense wall harder than stone.

The fireball hit the wall causing a small explosion and sending a large amount steam into the air.

Haku knelt behind the wall and was startled as he sensed a presence approaching him from the side. He raised his arm as he blocked a kick from the Uchiha boy.

Sasuke twisted in midair, spun around, and brought his other leg down upon the masked boy. Haku blocked it with his other hand and threw Sasuke back.

He twisted in the air and landed on his hands and feet as he slid back on the wet surface. The hunter was upon him in an instant, and they reengaged with the renewed vigor.

"You're fast," Sasuke grunted, as he dodged a swipe past his head.

"You are not too bad yourself," the masked nin responded.

"However," Sasuke smirked, "you are not quite as fast as my teammate, and I've spent years sparring him."

Sasuke ducked under Haku's jab, and fell backward as he kicked out the boy's legs. Spinning on his hands, he twisted and delivered a firm kick into the boy's stomach sending him flying backwards.

He flew towards the other side of the bridge, and slammed into the concrete wall.

Sasuke stood back up and smirked. At this rate, he was beginning to feel disappointed.

The masked boy slowly rose up without a word, and sent him a chilling stare. Sasuke couldn't see the boy's eyes, but he felt the weight of the cold look.

He seemed almost to sigh as he began forming more hand signs.

"I apologize Uchiha-san. I had been hoping to finish you quickly and refrain from causing you too much harm, but you have left me no choice. I am sorry for what is to come."

Sasuke shrugged off the comment. "Sounds to me like someone is grasping at straws."

"We'll see won't we?" the boy responded as he finished his last hand sign.

Sasuke tensed as the air suddenly felt like it had fallen 10 degrees. All around him, the water in the mist seemed to materialize as rectangular blocks of ice formed into a dome surrounding him.

 _'_ _What is this jutsu?'_

The masked boy calmly walked towards the dome, and astonished him as we walked into the ice mirrors.

Where there had been one, there were now over twenty masked individuals starting down at him, from the mirrors.

"This is the Demonic Ice Mirrors jutsu. I apologize. Your death will not be a pleasant one."

Sasuke tensed himself, as a senbon barrage was flung at him.

* * *

Back across the bridge, Zabuza wanted to scoff. _'So Haku finally decided to crank out that jutsu, eh? The Uchiha brat must have been better than I thought._ _With that technique, he'll be done with them shortly.'_

Zabuza frowned as he turned his attention back to Kakashi. ' _At least one of us is getting somewhere.'_

The jounin was about 35 feet from him, remaining perfectly still. Now the question was how did Kakashi keep finding him?

He would slowly start stalking the jounin, but if he took too long, Kakashi would suddenly know his location and race after him. He would jump back a safe distance and retreat further into the mist, which would seem to loose him momentarily. Then the whole process would repeat all over again.

He just couldn't get it. He was a master of his craft and he was absolutely certain there were no holes within his approach.

That wasn't the only thing. He was nowhere near Kisame's level, but he certainly had one of the larger chakra reserves within the Seven Swordsmen. He hadn't been casting the Hidden Mist jutsu too long, but he could notice a larger than normal drain on his charka. He was already at 3/4 of his total chakra, and this was beginning to worry him. Something was wrong, but he just couldn't place his finger on it.

How was Kakashi doing it?

* * *

Hinata's byakugan flared as she made her way towards Zabuza's location. Her head was beginning to feel a little funny from the blood rush, so she took a moment to orientate herself as she disengaged from the bridge and jumped from pillar to pillar. After the blood flow returned to normal, she reattached herself back to the underside of the bridge, and stood directly under the Demon of the Mist.

It had been so clever. The risk of planting a seal on Zabuza was that if he found it, he could easily remove it and lure Kakashi into a trap. Naruto had decided to use one of his earlier ideas for a seal involving magnets, but instead of placing the tag on Zabuza, he would place it on Hinata.

With her byakugan, she could stare straight through the mist and the concrete of the bridge. As he would silently stalk Kakashi, she would be right there beneath him walking upside down along the bottom of the bridge. The seal placed on her would attract the corresponding seal on Kakashi's left glove, indicating the direction Zabuza would attack from.

Afraid of opening his eyes due to the sharingan, Zabuza would retreat further into the mist, faster than she could follow, causing Hinata to chase after him and repeat the cycle all over again.

All the while, she had her Twin Lion Fangs technique active as she stalked underneath him. It wasn't as effective due to the several feet of concrete between them, but she was slowly, but surely draining away at his reserves.

It was now a game of who would slip up first. It all came down to if Kakashi could get a hit off on Zabuza as he grew weaker, or if Zabuza connected the dots, and went after her.

Her eyes did not hide any fear in them. Only steel determination as she ate away at the man's reserves as he started a new cycle and stalked towards Kakashi.

She was keeping track of the boys as they dealt with their respective roles. She was greatly concerned about Sasuke, who seemed to be trapped in a jutsu that would follow him wherever he went.

She wanted to help him, but she could not disengage now. She had to trust that Naruto would be able to finish soon enough and help out their other teammate.

* * *

"That's it! All set boss!" said the clone behind him.

"Good. Do it!" the original ordered.

The four clones knelt on one knee in a square around Tazuna and started racing through hand signs. After twenty one signs, they stopped and slammed their hands into the intricate symbols surrounding them.

"Four Flames Barrier Seal!" they shouted in unison.

Immediately, a purple cube sprung to life around the bridge maker and the clones. This had been one of the first things he had learned from the advanced set of fuinjutsu. Apparently it was inspired by a form of barrier ninjutsu of a similar name, but designed to work with seals instead, so that even if one of the four casters were interrupted, the barrier would continue to stand.

Naruto glanced back at Tazuna and sent him a serious glare. "No matter what you do Tazuna-san, don't touch those walls. They will incinerate anything that touches them."

Tazuna instantly jumped back from the purple walls surrounding him.

"I'd suggest just sitting in the middle and wait until I come to release you. Don't worry, nothing is getting in or out of that barrier."

"Where are you going?"

Naruto turned his attention back towards the dome of ice in the center of the bridge.

"I have to go help my bastard of a teammate. Besides, heroes always show up late anyways."

* * *

Sasuke cried out as he was peppered once again by the barrage of senbon. He had been at this for minutes now, and he was starting to resemble a human pincushion.

He panted as he gripped his kunai tightly in his hands. He had tried to form the hand seals to form the fireball jutsu, but the boy would spray him in needles before he could ever get through it.

He was not going to die her. Not to something as pathetic as senbon. Not while that man was still out there. He had a mission to complete.

He felt fear rise through him, as the next wave of senbon started to begin.

No. No! NO! NOOO!

Suddenly, the world seemed to slow down as all of the senbon racing towards him appeared in a new clarity. The world seemed much more sharp as it had before, and he found it easier and easier to block the oncoming barrage of senbon. He twisted through the metal soaring through the air, and deflected almost every senbon that had been sent his way. He had missed a few in the back, but the results were still staggering.

"Impossible," the masked boy muttered.

Sasuke panted as he stared at himself in one of the empty mirrors the boy was not currently occupying. His breath caught in his throat as red eyes stared back at him.

He had done it.

He had finally done it.

For the first time in years, a genuine smile plastered itself across his face.

The sharingan.

He had finally developed his sharingan.

The beauty of this moment was interrupted for him as his loud teammate, crashed through one of the ice mirrors and soared towards him. He crashed into him, toppling them both over.

As much as the sharingan had served as a blessing, it was already serving as a curse. Now, the beauty of one of the proudest moments in his life would be forever be engraved in his mind with the image of his ridiculous teammate plowing into him and ruining it.

* * *

Across the bridge, Hinata was so focused on staying close to Zabuza that she did not notice the green scroll in her pouch start to glow purple as the markings inside began to change.

* * *

"Watch where the hell you're going dobe!"

"Sorry for trying to save your ass teme! I guess that's what I get for trying to h-"

He was cut off as he stared into his teammates eyes. They were red, with a single tomoe in each of them.

"You did it…" he whispered before a smirk plastered itself across his face, "Took you long enough."

Sasuke couldn't help but return the smirk as they went back-to-back, staring back at the emotionless masks of the hunter nin.

"So, that stuff is just ice right?" Naruto asked over his shoulder.

"Seems that way," Sasuke responded.

"Well, then turn up the heat in here already," he smirked as they both began rushing through hand signs.

Haku was surprised by the blonde's sudden arrival and nonchalant banter that he was not quick enough to stop the boys as they landed on their final hand signs.

"Katon: Grand Fireball Jutsu!"

"Katon: Fox Hellfire!"

Yellow and red flames raced along the edges of the dome as the two boys spun in a circle. Naruto took the upper screens, as Sasuke dealt with the bottom ones. They kept up a continuous stream of flames as they twisted around, bathing the whole area in a raging inferno.

This blast of light and heat drew attention from everyone on the bridge. Tazuna was shocked as he watched the pillars of fire race out of the cracks in the down.

Further down the bridge, Zabuza just smirked as he watched the flames die out.

The two boys stood triumphantly in the middle of puddle of water. They were grinning ear to ear, but that stopped instantly, when the ice mirrors, immediately began to reform.

"Aw, you've got to be shitting me," Naruto complained as the dome reformed around them.

The mirrors flashed as they were all reformed and the image of the masked nin reappeared in each one.

"That jutsu must require a ridiculous amount of chakra to maintain. You can't keep that up forever!" Naruto taunted as he pulled out a kunai.

"Maybe so," the soft voice replied, "but you two shall be dealt with long before that."

And once again, Haku let loose his barrage upon the boys.

* * *

While Kakashi was momentarily distracted, Zabuza rushed him as fast as he could.

This time the jounin did not notice him until he was right behind him. He swung is sword horizontally, aiming to cut the white-haired bastard in half.

Kakashi jumped up and landed on his hands on top of the blade, and rode it until Zabuza threw him off. Kakashi landed on his knees and fired off a kunai, before racing towards him, only to be thwarted as Zabuza dashed back into the mist once again.

Kakashi glared into the mist as he glanced down at his left hand as Hinata began to reposition herself. This would all be over soon.

Zabuza's rush to capitalize on Kakashi's moment of weakness and his fear of the sharingan would end up being his downfall.

Zabuza skidded to a stop, and leaned against the wall of the bridge. He tried his best to cover his panting, but he was starting to get tired.

Now he was really frustrated. He had about just shy of half of his total chakra left, and he couldn't understand why.

He hadn't been firing off too many jutsu, and the Hidden Mist should not have been eating up this much.

He continued to catch his breath and was surprised, when he felt Kakashi's presence disappear from the mist. He twisted and brought his sword above his head, as Kakashi landed on top of him, jabbing a kunai straight down. Metal clanged against metal, as Zabuza shoved the man off.

Kakashi twisted in mid air and sprinted at him full-tilt once he landed. Zabuza was finally pressed against a wall. The two men clashed their blades, as Zabuza tried his best to keep up with Kakashi while his eyes were closed.

His efforts weren't bearing much fruit as slashes and cut raced along his body, as Kakashi easily darted inside of his guard.

Zabuza swung his left arm back towards him, but Kakashi caught it and twisted it behind his back. He kicked the man forward and raced through seals.

Zabuza stumbled forward, and couldn't orient himself in time as Kakashi shouted, "Suiton: Water Bullets!"

Three burst of water hit him in the back sending him flying forward. He violently rolled down the bridge, until stabbed his blade into the ground, dragging him to a halt.

He panted as he shot Kakashi a manic glare through his bindings.

Kakashi was simply strolled towards him as he ran through more hand seals.

"Toad Oil Bullet," he muttered as he shot oil along the sides of the bridge.

Zabuza stumbled to his feet as Kakashi released two weak fire jutsu, igniting the oil along the bridge.

Zabuza instantly shut his eyes as he began to stare at Kakashi's approaching figure.

"How hard will it be on your reserves to keep up that mist, while the fires work to clear it away?

Zabuza sneered as he twirled his sword in his hands, ignoring the pain from the cuts across his body.

"What have you done? How the hell are you draining my chakra?"

"It wouldn't be wise to reveal one's tactics to the enemy," Kakashi casually stated as he continued to press forward towards him.

Zabuza growled as his sense throughout the mist was becoming blurred. The burning fires were making it hard for him to keep up his cloak of chakra across the air.

Things were beginning not to look good.

' _Hurry up Haku and stop messing around. I need you over here now!'_

* * *

The boy in question paused as he stared down at the two boys. With Naruto's presence and Sasuke's newly developed sharingan, they were certainly holding their own better than before, but they were still being whittled down.

An explosion further down the bridge caught his attention as he heard Zabuza's cries of pain. His attention was immediately drawn into the mist as he strained to hear what was happening.

He overheard Zabuza's comment about his chakra and immediately began to worry. He could sense Zabuza's reserves, and there was no reason that they should have been that low.

Furhter more, Kakashi seemed like he didn't have a scratch on him. There was no way he could tell where Zabuza was coming. The sharingan could not see through the jutsu. The only one who could was-

It hit him like a ton of bricks.

The Hyuuga girl! Hinata!

Where was she?

Haku was certain he had seen her at the beginning of the fight, but now he realized she had been suspiciously absent this entire time.

His eyes raced across the bridge as he tried to locate her.

Zabuza would have detected her if she had slipped by and was behind him. The bridge builder still sat within the burning walls of the barrier seal, which he would have to find a solution for later.

He couldn't find her anywhere.

Forwards, back, left, right. That only left-

"Down!" he muttered.

The ice mirrors melted in an instant, splashing the boys in freezing water. They were confused as the hunter-nin raced away from them and headed towards the side of the bridge.

Sasuke recognized his intentions an instant sooner due to his sharingan, but the same thought echoed, through their heads.

' _Hinata!'_

* * *

Hinata was beginning to reposition herself again and fire up her Lion Fangs, when she noticed the masked individual who had been engaging the boys, turn and flee towards the side of the bridge.

' _He knew!'_ she realized.

"Zabuza-sama! The Hyuuga girl! She is beneath you!"

Zabuza let out a snarl as it all clicked and he raised his sword above his head.

Kakashi sprinted into action, but was too late as Zabuza slammed his blade down into the bridge.

It wasn't deep enough to cut through the bridge and reach her, but the force was certainly enough to shatter the concrete floor she was standing on; causing her to feet to disconnect from the belly of the bridge.

Her eyes widened as she started free falling towards the water. Her byakugan flashed as she noticed the masked nin racing along the bottom of the bridge right towards her.

She reached into her pouch and pulled out a kunai attached to a spool on ninja wire and tossed it as hard as she could at one of the pillars of the bridge.

It lodged itself firmly into the pillar, and she swung out towards the side, as the hunter nin assaulted her with senbon.

She twisted and blocked as many as she could with a kunai, but she was unable to guard against all of them. Two slipped past her and hit her in the shoulder, making it harder to keep her hold on the wire. She gasped at the pain, which became even worse when she slammed into the pillar with an uncomfortable thud.

She had little time to get comfortable, as the hunter-nin was on her in seconds. Hinata reconnected to the wall, and proceeded to dodge and weave as the hunter-nin attacked her with a vigor and speed she had not used on her teammates. She did everything in her power to avoid his attacks as she tried to dislodge the kunai in her shoulder.

The boy's renewed speed astonished her. Had he been holding back this entire time?

She could only stare in astonishment as two spears of ice appeared in the boy's hands, and he swiped at her like one cut with a pair of scissors.

Making the split second decision, she pumped chakra into her legs, and kicked off of the pillar out over the water.

She sailed away from the bridge, as the hunter-nin stopped and watched her decent.

Hinata's eyes snapped behind the hunter-nin and she twisted in midair as she caught a kunai racing towards her.

The masked boy's head swiveled around as he stared at the other boys, who had joined them under the bridge and were holding on to a thread of ninja wire and greatly heaving their teammate back.

Hinata's decent became an arc as she began swinging back towards the bridge.

Haku raced up the pillar he was on and snatched up Hinata's kunai from earlier. Just as Hinata was at the bottom of her arc and passing under the bridge, Haku tossed the kunai at the wire severing it.

Hinata fell and skidded across the surface of the water as she tried to remain afloat.

The boys only had a second to respond as Haku shot off several water bullets in their direction.

They were both able to dodge the first volley, but Naruto was pegged during the second one. He flew out towards the water, and crashed below the surface of the water. Haku caught up the Sasuke and they began trading blows just as before, only this time, Haku had decided to crank up the speed.

' _This is getting bad. I need to move the fight away from here.'_ Sasuke thought as he jumped away from the masked nin. He jumped onto one of the pylons, pumped his legs with chakra, and dove straight down towards the water.

As the water grew closer and closer, he rammed two kunai into the pillar, and began sliding down the side. The masked boy was right behind him as he raced full tilt down after him

 _'_ _The hell is he doing? He's going to kill himself, if he doesn't decelerate in time!'_

Sasuke swirled down the column and kicked off in Hinata's direction.

Haku slammed face first into water at the base of the pillar a second later.

Water sprayed up into the air from the collision; until it paused and began swirling towards the surface as the masked nin remerged riding on a vortex of water, which swirled violently around him.

Hinata and Sasuke panted as a hand rose up behind them, and Naruto dragged himself out of the water.

"Okay…" he panted as he stared at the masked nin glaring down at them, "That sucked."

They silently agreed with his blunt statement as they took the moment to catch their breath. Sasuke was pulling needles out of his body as Hinata fretted over Naruto's fall.

"Are you okay Naruto-kun? A fall from that height could have seriously damaged your spine," Hinata asked as her hands glowed green.

"I'm alright. My back is going to be killing me tomorrow though. Aw man, that was like the worst back flop ever," he groaned as he rubbed his back.

Hinata placed her hands behind both of them as she began healing the bruises and scars that were starting to form.

They felt a hell of a lot better than they had when they were stuck in that dome. After they regained their stamina, they locked their glares at the masked nin, who had stepped off from his water spout, and was standing unnaturally still across the water.

Nobody spoke and the only sounds were the waves crashing against the shores and the fires burning up above.

* * *

Zabuza roared as he brought his sword down towards Kakashi. The agile man weaved out of the way and delivered a nasty right hook to the man's face. As if he hadn't felt it, the man sent out a nasty kick, which sent Kakashi back a few feet.

"You must think you're so clever, don't you Kakashi. Having the Hyuuga girl follow me around draining me like a parasite."

"I can't take all of the credit. It was mostly Naruto's idea."

"The blonde, stupid one who's got a knack for seals correct? Now I know which one I'm going to gut first after I'm done with you. Presuming there's anything left after Haku is finished."

"I hope you're not too disappointed that I think they'll surprise you."

"They have no idea what they're in for," Zabuza chuckled, "I took in that boy years ago, and he's been shaped into the perfect weapon. His only fault is that he is too kind at heart, but your kids have gone off and really pissed him off. I had to chisel my way out of a building the last time someone pissed him off that much. The entire block was frozen over."

Below them, the water began to contort as several dragon heads rose from the surface of the river. They let out a deafening roar as they stared the genin down. The masked boy touched the base of the jutsu and the dragons began to freeze over. Their mobility didn't seem to change as the new ice dragons continued to weave and roar at the genin. Haku raced through more hand signs and a massive column of water rose from the surface.

"You see Kakashi, some say hell is a raging inferno, other's say that its depths are frozen over," Zabuza mused.

The genin took a step back due to the sheer size of the mass of water, and shocked as it was sent hurtling up towards the bridge.

"Your kids are about to be in for the latter, Kakashi. Now that the Hyuuga brat is out of way, we can finally get down to business," Zabuza smirked as he slammed his sword into the ground. Kakashi was surprised as a giant column of water rose over the side and slammed into the bridge. Bricks and wooden planks were dislodged as the oil fires were immediately put out.

Kakashi knelt to his hands and knees and used his chakra to strap himself to the floor as the wave raced over him. He was ravaged by the blunt force of the water, and he could see Zabuza standing in place holding his sword presumably smiling like a maniac.

As it finally receded, Zabuza pushed back his hair and sent the man a feral grin through his bandages. He returned to a familiar stance with one hand in the air, and the dense mist encompassed them once again.

Kakashi glared at Zabuza as his figure increasingly became harder and harder to see through the thick mist.

"Now let's try this again," his voice taunted deep within the mist.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **And there we have it, the beginning of the final battle of the Wave Arc. Did it deviate enough from the beaten path for you guys?**

 **You do not understand how many times I had to go back and alter Haku from a "she" to a "he" as I was writing this chapter. I kept writing "she" did this, "she" did that. Dammit Haku! Why do you have to be so gender fluid? If you notice any discrepancies regarding that, I'm sorry.**

 **Soooo close to 200 reviews, which will be another new milestone. Thanks a bunch you guys. You are what make this possible. I hope this tides you over for the weekend, since I'm going to be away from my laptop. Make sure to leave a review and give me some feedback after this chapter.**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To crono3553)**

 **I had considered reusing the gravity seal placed on the blade, but you were correct. It was just a paper seal and not directly marked. He hasn't quite learned that yet (though he will in the future). There were other reasons why I decided no to reuse it. This was mostly because Naruto is not dealing with Zabuza in this fight. He is solely focused on Haku and protecting Tazuna.**

 **(To jenuzumaki)**

 **Appreciate the support.**

 **Please, the haters aren't bugging me. In fact, it's only one guy. Whoever wrote that rude comment, basically wrote the same thing almost word for word like 12 chapters ago. I don't understand why he would come back so much later. I hope he's reading this, cause I just find it hilarious.**

 **(To Lioness of the Leaf)**

 **Always appreciate your lengthy reviews. Hope the differences lived up to your expectations.**

 **(To epwydadlan)**

 **I'm very curious if your idea of what Naruto would do to track Zabuza was correct. PM me or tell me in the reviews.**


	23. Chapter 23 - Hell Frozen Over

Chapter 23 – Hell Frozen Over

*** **Please read Review Corner for this chapter. Important message. *****

The ice dragons let out a roar and they surged forward like tentacles.

With their superior eyes, Hinata and Sasuke both dodged out of the way of their respective tendrils, and Naruto simply gave his own icy stare right back into the jutsu's eyes. Just before it slammed into him, he flipped back, jumping over the incoming attack.

It crashed into the river, creating a massive splash. He landed on its neck, and began racing back towards the enemy nin.

The masked boy didn't even move as the remaining dragons roared and raced towards him. He ducked under the first one and jumped onto the second, as he continued his path towards the masked boy. He leaped off, pausing only to quickly turn and toss explosive notes at the heads racing behind him.

The masked boy did not even flinch at the explosions or when the blonde blur appeared before him with his fist cocked back.

He slammed his fist forward, only to be met by a wall of water that suddenly rose from the river. Naruto grunted and kicked off the shield, which was instantly barraged by Phoenix Flower bullets.

Sasuke kept up the pressure as he forced him to keep up the shield. The masked boy raised his hands to steady his shield as it was bombarded by fire, when suddenly; two blurs appeared on both sides of him. Hinata and Naruto unleashed a barrage of shuriken on the masked nin, who seemed to pay them no mind, until he cancelled the jutsu and simply dropped under the surface of the water.

The shuriken clanged into each other, as Sasuke stopped his jutsu. They didn't have to wait for long, as a new water dragon, larger than any of the previous ones, burst from the surface. Haku floated safely within the head of the jutsu, and it let out a deafening roar as it glared down at the two genin beneath it.

It hissed at them before it was rocketed by another explosion. It let out a roar of pain as Sasuke blasted it with several fireball jutsu.

It recoiled under the heat and turned its head towards its attacker. It let out another roar, and began racing towards him.

Sasuke cancelled his jutsu and began weaving new signs as he backpedalled away from the aquatic monolith chasing after him.

He finished the final hand sign and pointed his finger at the approaching construction. An arrow of electricity crackled along his fingertip and it shot off towards the dragon.

Before the bolt impacted, the dragon construct fell apart, reducing the possibility of impact. The jutsu flew harmlessly over the shoulder of the hunter nin as he sailed towards Sasuke. Even with the sharingan, he was too slow as the hunter nin kneed him in the face.

Haku landed on his hands and knees and twisted up for a kick towards the boy. His red eyes flashed and this time he caught it. He grinned over Haku's shoulder as someone approached from behind.

The kiri nin bent forward as Hinata's palm sailed over him. He quickly stabbed two senbon into Sasuke's hands causing him to release his foot. He twisted to retaliate, but was surprised, when Naruto appeared in front of him and punched him in the face.

His mask cracked as he flew back, bouncing once on the water, before responding with a water bullet.

The other two jumped away as Naruto pulled out a scroll. He whipped it open and the bullet slammed to a halt as the seals did their work. The markings on the page flashed white, and the blob of water disappeared. He smirked as he reared back and sent the bullet right back at him.

He let out a cocky grin as bullet slammed into the masked boy, though his victory was short lived as a smaller water dragon burst from the water and slammed him in the gut. His eyes widened as the air was knocked from his lungs, and he was flung back across the river.

Hinata wasted little time and raced after the masked boy. She was upon him in seconds and they begun an intricate dance, as the boy desperately tried to avoid being touched by those troublesome hands. Just one touch was all she needed. He could calm down any muscle she agitated through acupuncture if he needed to, but he could not reopen tenketsu.

Sasuke joined her shortly afterwards and their dance intensified, as he traded blows with the Uchiha, all while trying to avoid the strikes from the Hyuuga.

Frustrated from not landing her hits, Hinata stopped and began racing through hand signs. Sasuke recognized the jutsu with his sharingan and grabbed hold of the hunter-nin's arms. He spun him around and tossed him into the air as a stream of water crashed into him.

The water slammed into the boy and it continued to bombard him throughout his descent. His eyes widened through his mask as he saw the Uchiha boy next the girl with his hands sparking from the jutsu he had seen a week earlier.

As he reached his hand out to electrify the current, Haku pushed against the stream forcing it to freeze over instantly. The effect raced along the stream towards Hinata, as spikes jutted from the frozen water. She cut off the jutsu, just as the process neared her face. The long beam of ice splashed into the water, as Haku landed on his feet.

A shadow appeared overhead, and he jumped away as a tower of shadow clones, stacked up on each other, crashed into the water. As they popped away, 5 clones burst through the smoke and engaged him. Though they were fast, he easily popped them with a simple jab of his senbon. After dealing with the last one, he was surprised when a sixth one rose from below him and jumped on his back.

"Gotcha!" he smirked as four more clones burst from the water and grabbed hold of his arms and legs.

He struggled under the weight of the blondes and an icicle spear began forming in his right hand. He stabbed through the two on his right, but that was as far as he got as pain burned across his back. Sasuke slammed a kunai in his shoulder from behind, and clutched the boy's arm to his chest.

Haku struggled against the boys and his eyes widened as he noticed Hinata jumping over them and crouching into a strange stance. .

"You are within range of my divination," she uttered coldly.

Haku actually panicked as the girl raced towards him and jabbed two strikes into his arm and chest. The muscles in the areas immediately contracted, and he cringed at the burning sensation.

"Two palms!" Hinata shouted, as she twisted to begin the next set.

Haku's eyes flashed. He could not fail Zabuza-sama like this! Anger surged through him as he stomped his free foot on the water.

"Four p-" Hinata started to shout as there was a bright flash, and she realized she couldn't move. She couldn't speak. She could only gasp, as the entire group was encased in a block of ice.

* * *

Kakashi felt like a sitting duck, as he stood completely rigid within the blanket of mist. Even the slightest movement would allow Zabuza to hone in on his position. Without Hinata helping him, locating the man had become virtuously impossible. He was like a ghost who could disappear into the fog without a sound. Zabuza was now actually managing to sneak up on him. He resisted the urge to look down at the new cuts and slashes that had grazed his body.

The man was growing more and more aggressive as time went by. Zabuza knew he was running low on reserves, and he did not want to stretch this battle any longer than he had to. Even if he dealt with himself and the kids, the man would still have to figure out how to get past Naruto's barrier seal.

While he felt a little uncomfortable from the feeling of exposure, Kakashi was fine with Zabuza's behavior. It just meant there were more opportunities for him to mess up.

His plan was set. All he needed to do now was whittle down Zabuza just a little more, and wait for the opportune time to strike, just after they disengaged. The more chakra Zabuza exhausted, the slower he would be. This worked in his favor, as the mist was constantly drawing on the Zabuza's reserves.

He could have sworn he saw something move to his right side and his eyes narrowed.

That being said, sitting here waiting for Zabuza to strike wasn't exactly ideal either.

* * *

They could only stare in horror as they were frozen in place. Haku stared down at the girl's outstretched palm, only an inch from his heart. The only thing that could move was their eyes. Their eyes seemed to plead to each other as they desperately tried to free themselves from their frozen prison. Naruto let out a silent scream as he fought against his restraints. Sasuke closed his eyes as he started taking deep breaths, feeling his chakra heat up in chest. It was going to be extremely difficult without hand signs, but he had practiced this jutsu for years.

Bubbles began forming around the masked nin, and they were shocked as he started moving in the ice as if it was just water. He detached the boys from his body, and stepped away from Hinata's attack. The boy's chest seemed to heave as he crossed his arms, and they all felt a swell of chakra. He slammed his arms out and the ice began to shake. Cracks formed across the iceberg splitting it into three halves, and the genin were sent flying away from him.

Hinata's block of ice was sent flying and crashed against a pillar of the bridge, shattering upon impact. She continued her momentum and the back of her head slammed against the concrete pillar. Everything went dark as she fell into the water.

Naruto was sent sailing back towards the riverbed near the completed section of the bridge, while Sasuke was sent towards the unfinished side.

Haku knelt on the water and panted. He narrowed his eyes as he stared at the Hyuuga's crumpled form floating in the water. She was out, at least for a little while. He glanced at the block of ice containing the blonde, and thankful to see him still struggling against his confines.

Finally, he turned his head towards the last block as a plume of fire burst through the ice.

Freezing water dripped down his forehead, but he didn't care. Sasuke took in deep breaths as air finally returned to his lungs. He released two more breaths of fire as he freed his arms and legs. Ignoring the blistering pain from the cold, he jumped out of the iceberg and landed on the water.

He panted as he stared planning. He needed to get to his teammates, and help them get out. He eyed Naruto's block further away from him, but was worried when he couldn't find Hinata. He froze when he saw the chunks of ice near the bridge and her floating body in the water.

"Hinata!" he shouted. His heart sank, when she remained unresponsive. He was shocked for a second before he started racing forward.

"You shall not be going anywhere," a cold voice responded as a form rose up from the water in front of him.

It was only thanks to his sharingan that he was able to prevent the blow from piercing his heart. Instead, he managed to lean out of the way just enough for it to pierce his shoulder instead.

He cried out from the pain, and tried to kick the boy away.

The boy jumped back, and began racing through one-handed seals with his good hand. Sasuke felt his heart sank as the water rose above him and formed a cage. The water morphed, and once again he found himself back inside the accursed dome of mirrors.

"You shall not be escaping this again," the boy said as he raced through hand signs.

"Suiton: Ruthless Entrapment!"

Sasuke cried out as two spikes of water pierced through his thighs and continued to race up his legs. He was brought to his knees as he wailed at the pain.

The spikes of water continued to hold him down as Haku raced through more seals.

"Suiton: Executioner's Bondage."

Tendrils of water shot up like whips and wrapped around his arms and neck, effectively tying him down.

He clenched his teeth through the pain as he glared at the masked boy.

"You were foolish for chasing me down here. You should have known better than to challenge a suiton user on a body of water."

The boy was silent as his copies in every mirror palmed their senbon.

"Now, you shall pay for your ignorance."

* * *

Naruto thrashed against the ice. He needed to get out! He needed to help them!

Though it was slightly blurry, he could slightly see out of the iceberg. He could see the outline of Sasuke's iceberg across from him, but he couldn't see Hinata's. He stared at the bridge and could see something floating in the water amongst the blocks of ice, and his thrashing became more violent.

He only paused when a plume of fire rose up across the river. He had a hard time, but he could just make out Sasuke's form emerging from the ice.

Good! He was free! He had to help her!

His heartbeat quickened as he saw another form rise up near him, and did something to Sasuke. He couldn't hear him, but he could tell Sasuke was writhing in pain. His heart sank as he saw the familiar dome of mirrors reform around them.

No…

Memories raced through his mind as he thrashed even harder against his constraints.

He remembered Sasuke acknowledging him the first time he had actually landed a punch. Both of them offering their food to Hinata. Their fight against the Iwa-nin. Their spars against Kakashi-sensei. Being chased by his deranged dogs. Working together to fight against Zabuza and free Kakashi. His silent moment with Hinata outside the night before.

His mind raced through all of these memories, before it settled on the memory of the three of them drifting off to sleep safely in each other's presence. He could remember what it felt like to feel so secure from their warmth of their bodies pressed against his.

NO! NO! NO! NOOOOO!

* * *

Within the recess of a dark sewer stood an enormous gate with thick iron bars. The room took on a crimson hue as streaks of red chakra started escaping through the spaces between the bars.

The pitch-black room was illuminated by a set of white teeth that grinned through the darkness. There was a loud shifting sound, and the water on the floor crashed against the walls as a dark shadow repositioned itself.

 ** _Finally_**.

* * *

Kakashi and Zabuza paused their game of cat and mouse, as an ominous sensation washed over them.

Zabuza, the Demon of the Mist, actually felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as the waves of malevolent chakra flowed through him.

' _What the hell is this killing intent?'_ his mind raced as he unconsciously took a step back.

Kakashi felt it too, but underneath all of the anger and despair, he could still sense the familiar presence of-

"Naruto!" he whispered.

' _Shit!'_ basically summed up his thoughts as the possibilities of the seal weakening raced through his head. If things were resorting to that, he didn't want to know how bad it was going down there.

He narrowed his eyes as he stared off into the mist. He had heard Zabuza's footstep, and it was time to stop playing around.

Zabuza had been worn down enough, and would be too slow to stop what was coming.

As he was distracted, Kakashi began racing through seals

* * *

Near the base of the bridge, Hinata bobbed up and down with the current of the river as her blood stained the water. Unknown to her, her chakra slightly flared and a darker, turquoise colored chakra started rising from her chest. It twisted through the air and began heading towards the back of her skull. As it touched her skin, it changed to a lighter green color as her skull and skin began knitting themselves back together.

As this was happening, there was a flash of light and a malevolent chakra washed over the area, causing the tendril to pause.

Inside the girl's pouch, a scroll began to glow bright gold in response to the foreign chakra. Even more characters sprawled across the page as the kanji for three appeared on the front.

The turquoise chakra continued to work on the girl, as a presence seemed to stare off at the block of ice that was starting to glow red. There was a flash and the ice exploded, revealing the huffing figure of a blonde boy bathed in red chakra. His eyes were slits and the whisker marks on his face were more deeply defined. He let out a roar as he stared at the dome of mirrors across the river. His eyes narrowed at the site of the masked boy, and he dashed at an alarming rate towards them.

The presence recognized the chakra, but ignored it as it continued to work. A horned figure seemed to appear as it knelt beside the girl.

"I am sorry, little one. This will sadly push back our meeting. I will have to build my strength once again before we can speak face to face, but we don't have a choice. There is too much at stake to risk loosing you now."

The tendril of chakra finished its work and began to retreat back into her body. Her eyes seemed glazed over as she tried to open them.

"Until the day we meet again Hinata-sama," the horned figure whispered as it disappeared.

* * *

Haku stopped his assault on the Uchiha as the vile chakra washed over him. He was alert and shocked by the ominous feeling emanating from the ice across the river.

The water spiked through his legs disappeared, and Sasuke collapsed on the water's surface. It was all he could do to stay conscious, as he tried to look across at whatever the hell had caused that ridiculous killing intent.

He heard a loud crack, and the masked nin soared over his head. His eyes were growing blurry as he tried to get back up, but the holes in his legs and senbon in his back were just unbearable.

A red shadow raced by overhead and he heard more explosions, as the water was kicked up over and over. His eyes started to droop as consciousness started to evade him.

The last that went through his head before he passed out was the image burned into his mind. His sharingan had been active, and he had seen it all. His teammate had looked more furious than he had ever seen him before. His eyes were bloodshot and his teeth were razor sharp.

Like he was being controlled by the devil himself.

* * *

Haku raced away from the now rabid boy, who apparently had made it his sole mission to tear him apart.

He had summoned several mizu clones to surround the boy, but the boy had slammed his clawed hands through their stomachs and ripped them to shreds.

His teammate hadn't been kidding when he claimed he was fast.

Water dragon after water dragon raced towards the boy, and he broke them all apart with pure force alone.

He disappeared in a blur, and Haku acted as fast as possible as he raised a water wall between them. He slammed into the wall, which sent shockwaves across the water. Haku raced through one-handed seals to create a dome of water surrounding him as the boy hammered the walls again and again.

He was shocked as the boy finally broke through the barrier and his hand raced towards his face.

Haku instantly froze the sphere and descended into the river as cracks started to form.

The sphere of ice exploded and the boy let out another bloodcurdling roar as he searched for the masked boy. His eyes darted across the water until his eyes set in the direction of the bridge.

Haku gasped as the boy raced towards him and smashed through one of the support pillars.

 _'How did he sense me!'_

They jumped from one to another as the blonde smashed through everything in his way.

 _'What is he?'_

* * *

Up above, Kakashi and Zabuza felt the force of the impacts as the bridge began to shake.

' _This is not good,'_ Kakashi thought as he finished his final seal, ' _he's going to bring down the bridge if he keeps this up.'_

His hands sparked to life as he aimed off into the mist.

' _Here's your field test Naruto.'_

Zabuza turned his head as he heard the crackling of electricity followed by, "Raiton: Lightning Fang Jutsu!"

Zabuza was startled as a dog coated in lightning began racing towards him. He was too tired, and it was gaining on him too fast, but it had one problem, Kakashi needed to see where the jutsu was going to control it. Zabuza retreated deeper into the mist, and jumped over the technique at the last second.

He smirked as it raced under him, but that smirk turned to screams of agony as it turned around and slammed into his sword.

Through the pain, he was still able to think, _'What the hell was that? How could Kakashi's jutsu have tracked me? There was no way he could-"_

And then it hit him.

He remembered earlier when the two stupid brats were trapped in the Demonic Mirrors technique and began scorching it with flames. As Kakashi had been distracted, Zabuza had rushed in desperately to try and take him by surprise. Kakashi had dodged it by jumping up and landing on his sword with his hands…

 _'He must have planted something earlier to draw the jutsu to his blade!'_

He winced as he opened his eyes, but he felt his heart stop when he did.

Staring back at him from the mist was a glowing red eye racing towards him. He didn't even have a second to react as his left side erupted with the worst pain he had ever endured.

Blood splattered everywhere as Kakashi's Raikiri cleanly cut his arm off.

He roared from the pain, as he desperately clutched at his bleeding stump. Kakashi snatched the Kubikiribōchō out of mid air from the dead arm, and spun it around before stabbing it straight through its true master's chest.

Zabuza screamed as Kakashi shoved him back, step by step and impaled him into the wall of the bridge.

Kakashi took a step back as he took a minute to catch his breath.

This battle was over.

* * *

The splitting scream could be heard all across the bridge. It sent shivers down Tazuna's spine, and, down below, Haku's voice caught in his throat as he heard his master's screams of agony.

Naruto was racing towards him on all fours, but he formed six hand seals and a colossal wave began surge through the water. Naruto didn't look intimidated as it continued to rise and raced towards him. He plowed straight into it, as it crashed down on top of him.

He struggled as much as he could, but eventually the water won out and he was dragged downriver.

Haku raced up the side of the bridge, and dove over as quickly as he could. His heart froze at the horrid sight before him.

He shot off two water bullets at Kakashi, who easily dodged them and simply stared pitifully at the boy as he landed in front of his master.

"Ha-ghk…ku" Zabuza sputtered.

"You shall not lay another hand on him," the masked boy yelled as he stood defensively in front of him.

"It is finished," Kakashi said with a calm voice, "he is not recovering from that."

"Be quiet!" Haku roared in response.

Another roar caught their attention as two arms of red chakra soared over the edge of the bridge. Kakashi jumped out of the way as they slammed into Haku. He gasped as the malevolent chakra started burning into his skin.

The hands slammed him down repeatedly, before dragging him through the pavement, back up the bridge towards Tazuna. The red arms retreated and Naruto sprung over the side, with fury in his eyes. He raced towards the stumbling boy trying to get back up and slammed his fist into the boy's mask.

It cracked under the intense weight, and Naruto smashed him into the ground. He stood over the boy's body and growled as he raised his hand to finish it.

He paused an inch from the boys face when he finally recognized him.

"Go on," Haku weakly muttered, "Please finish it."

Naruto growled as he started tearing up. He brought his fist back, but it was caught firmly by Kakashi.

The chakra burned at his skin, but Kakashi fought through the pain.

"Naruto. He's finished. Stand down."

Naruto wanted to argue. He wanted to scream and shout, anything to not think about what he saw. He wanted to ram his hands straight through the boy's throat, but it was not what his friends would have wanted him to do.

He squeezed out more tears as he stood up, and removed himself from Haku's body. The red coat started to disappear, but his red eyes remained. Whether they were from the kyuubi or from his tears, Kakashi couldn't say.

Kakashi kept a wary eye on him, but he placed his hand on his shoulder.

Haku just lay still as tears flowed from his eyes.

' _I'm sorry Zabuza-sama. I've failed you.'_

"Well look what we have here!"

Everyone's heads turned down the bridge and finally laid their eyes on Gatou and his crew of soldiers.

He was standing directly in front of Zabuza's impaled body and clucking his tongue.

"I guess you shinobi really are worth nothing," he said as he nudged at the blade lodged in Zabuza's chest.

"Go. To. Hell." Zabuza gargled as blood poured from his mouth.

"Dear god, the bastard is still alive! What does it take to put you down?" he joked as he slapped him across the face.

"Don't you dare touch him!" Haku screamed down the bridge.

"Oh, the mute finally decides to speak does he," Gatou taunted. "Well, I'll enjoy watching my men make it up to you for breaking my arm earlier. Men tear whose left apart."

The roar of the soldiers quickly died down as a malevolent feeling washed over them.

The blonde kid next to the Konoha shinobi was glowing red as he growled at them. Gatou took a step back as his horrid glare seemed to be directed straight at him.

"So you are the one who had Inari's father killed?"

Gatou was speechless as he scooted back behind his men. Whatever the brat was doing was scaring the hell out of him. Gone was his fierce bravado, and he was left shivering in his pants. He had never felt so terrified in his life.

"You're the reason all of this is happening! You're the reason they're gone!" he roared and raced forward.

He surged through the men, tearing apart anyone and everyone who stood in his way. They cried out in terror as the crimson demon was let upon them.

Gatou shook in horror at the gruesome sight and began running away from his entourage as fast as he could.

Naruto shot him a single glance, while he snapped a man's arm and flung his tri-pronged kunai past the group towards Gatou.

The kunai sailed past his head, and, in a flash, he was standing directly in front of the man quaking in his boots.

After a few seconds went by, Kakashi only stared at him in awe. _'There was no effect from the Hiraishin!'_

"Whatever you want, I'll give it to you," Gatou pleaded. "Money, power, women. Just leave me alone!"

If Naruto had been in his right state of mind he would have taunted him for his pathetic behavior, but he wasn't the only one at the wheel right now. He ignored him as he grabbed the man's face in his hands. He raised him up in the air, and the man started crying out as the hand started to glow red and burn his face.

"Katon: Wrath's Inferno!"

Fire exploded from his hand, searing away any and all flesh that happened to be within its conic range. Gatou could only scream for an instant before his face was blown out the back of his head. It lasted for several seconds before what was left of Gatous body dropped to the ground.

The men took several steps back as they stood in horror of the kid standing before them. One guy pissed himself as the blonde directed his stare at him. The dropped their weapons in panic and raced towards the other side of the bridge. Unfortunately for them, this was the exact moment Inari arrived with his mob of villagers.

They cheered at their victory as Naruto stared at Haku, who was dragging himself over to Zabuza's body. He started to take a step forward, but Kakashi caught his shoulder.

"No, let them have their final moments alone."

Tears stung down Haku's face as Zabuza coughed up his last words.

"But sir, I can't"

"You can….and you wi..lll. Understand… me?" he garbled.

Haku's face stared at the ground, as he remained silent.

"Haku!"

The boy nodded his head and the missing nin smiled. He leaned back against the wall as his eyes closed for the last time.

 _'I'm coming down to hell to knock the crap out of you myself Gatou!'_ he thought as he slipped away.

Naruto and Kakashi were silent as Haku knelt before his teacher. Naruto had tears streaming down his face. Not because of Zabuza, but because of his friends. He had been to slow. He had been-

"What the hell happened here?" a voice cried out from the edge of the bridge.

Naruto's heart stopped as he turned and faced down the bridged.

Hinata was supporting Sasuke on her back. As she set him down, he could see the blood stained bandages that covered his legs and shoulder.

Naruto's lips started quivering as the water works started all over again.

He took a few steps forward, before he was running at a full on sprint and tackled both of them.

"God dam it! My legs! Watch what the hell you are doing idiot!" Sasuke roared as pain shot throughout his body.

Naruto paid him no mind as he dragged both of them deeper into his embrace.

Kakashi lightly smiled as he pulled his headband back over his eye.

The battle of the bridge was over.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **And that settles that. The battle on the bridge has ended, and next chapter will draw the Wave Arc to a close. (How many chapters even was that? Like 4? 5?) The team will be finishing up in Wave before heading home and dealing with the results of this adventure. Hinata especially has some things to discover. Things are going to start getting revealed next chapter that will tie some of the major story arcs together. Afterwards, we will keep chugging along. Hold on guys, we are heading to the Chunin Exams, and, trust me; they will be quite different from what you remember!**

 **Please leave a review and let me know what you thought on the first major fight of the series.**

 **Review Corner:**

 *****(To MysticSea88)**

 **I am very humbled by your support and enthusiasm for the series. I'm thrilled that you took time to actively try to help boost the series' popularity. However, I would appreciate it if you would decline from spamming the review section again in the future. Let me be clear, I appreciate trying to help and it does mean a lot that you care so much, but it actually hurts more than it helps with posting so many reviews that serve only to boost the series. It can be viewed negatively if a newcomer checks the reviews, and that is all they saw.**

 **Don't worry. I am perfectly happy with the progress of this series, and after the supportive base I have developed over the past month through the reviews; I am certainly motivated to keep it going. However, I use the reviews as a sort of comment system to keep in touch with my readers. When I respond to their comments in these sections, others can also look through the reviews to see what the original question was, and maybe it might answer their own questions. It can be hard if an entire page of reviews comes from one person. Your last review was more along the lines of what I would prefer.**

 **I'm more than happy to answer any questions and love to hear any feedback, positive or negative, but please try to keep it contained from here on out. Thank you.**

 **Now, with that taken care of, I'll address some of your questions:**

 **Regarding Kakashi's stamina, it always seemed silly to me how he could possibly face chakra exhaustion from fighting Zabuza in part 1, then be able to go on for over 10 hours during a war and into the night while continuously using the sharingan. I just thought would address that plot hole from Kishimoto by implying that part of the exhaustion came from the jutsu he copied from Zabuza. As for why his reserves wouldn't grow against the kid, is because, well, they are kids. They aren't pressing him. He is pressing them. His comments about pushing himself will come back later, once the time skip comes along. He'll be pushing himself again to get back to his former strength and push beyond it. The guy is a prodigy after all.**

 **(To MoonlitMelody)**

 **Your review cracked me up. "** Magic glowy scroll, share with us your secrets!" **In time my friend, in time. As you saw, there was something else hinted in this chapter as well.**

 **(To Lioness of the Leaf)**

 **(Had to update due to your second post)**

 **Oh, you were fine. I just had a guy try to cuss me out with the same insult a chapter ago. Your comment didn't offend at all. I definitely understand what you mean about Sakura. Glad to hear that you enjoyed it that much.**

 **(To the guest who responded to ch 8 and 19, who I presume is the same)**

 **The problem is, no one knows how to help him. Even Jiraiya hasn't figure out why the Hiraishin remained unsolvable after Minato's death. Besides, Naruto is stubborn, and even if they ordered him to stop, you know he would keep practicing it anyways. So say I did reveal his heritage and he found out how to use the Hiraishin without consequences. Now we have an OP Naruto right at the beginning of his training, and I do not like those kinds of stories. I may not have stated it yet, but they have inspected him for long-term results, but they never find anything. That is why they are letting it slide for now.**

 **As for Ria, that is fair. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. That being said, I hope I can win you over as her back-story unfolds more and more. She is someone who is deeply hurt and does not have a very positive view of shinobi. Her abrasive attitude is a result of the harsh life she has been forced to live. She will be popping in from time to time in the future, so I hope you stick with the story until her arch has ended before you make your final opinion.**

 **(Had to cut out a couple review responses due to space. I'll try to fit them in next time)**


	24. Chapter 24 - The Fog Lifts

Chapter 24 – The Fog Clears (Part 1)

 ***** The next chapter was originally part of this one. Due to size constraints I had to split it into two.**

An air of silence settled over Haku, as he sat along the docks. The only sounds were the waves gently crashing against the shore. It was a beautiful sight to behold. The afternoon sun was just beginning to set, and it reflected perfectly across the water.

However, this beauty was lost on the boy as he contemplated on the growing hole he felt in his chest. He felt lost. He honestly didn't know what to do with himself now.

He heard the wood creaking behind him, but made no movement as the blonde came up and sat beside him.

They sat in silence as the two of them stared across the river at the sinking sunset.

"Sure is beautiful," Naruto whispered.

"Yes, I suppose it is…"

"How are your burns healing?"

"Better. Your friend Hinata-chan really does know her way with medicinal creams," he replied as he unconsciously rubbed his arms.

Naruto seemed uncomfortable as he thought back to his fit of rage the day before.

"How are Sasuke-kun's legs?"

"They'll heal. She did her best to heal the muscle, but he'll still need to see a real doctor. Hinata-chan is amazing, but she is not a professional. Since we won't get back to the village for a few days, he'll probably have to keep the scars."

"That's a shame," Haku commented.

"At least he'll be able to walk again. Thank you for not hitting his bones. According to Hinata-chan, even medical ninjutsu can't heal that."

Haku simply nodded as the silence returned. They sat in peace as they watched the sun set slowly over the waves. Naruto turned his head, and looked him in the eyes.

"I think I owe you an apology."

"Whatever for? We were enemies trying to fulfill our own missions. Nothing more, nothing less."

"That's not true," Naruto said as he shook his head, "Even when you got angry with us, you still didn't go for the kill shot."

"You are mistaken. If your friend hadn't moved at the last second, I would have impaled him. He survived on his own merit alone."

Naruto was silent, before his voice softened, "But that doesn't mean you wanted to kill us does it? You still didn't finish him straight away after you immobilized him."

Haku was silent as he stared at the waves. "I don't like killing. I really abhor violence, but I understand that it is necessary. Zabuza-sama would always say I was too soft, yet he always kept me around."

"I think that just proved he cared."

"No. I was his weapon. He did not have room for any kind of weakness such as bonds or attachment."

"I thought you were the one to say caring for others was what makes us strong."

Haku was silent at this and kept his head down.

"What was the last thing he told you?"

"I would rather not say."

"Please? You helped me by sparing my friends. I want to be able to help you."

Haku sighed as he turned his head to face him.

"He told me not to strike out against Kakashi-san. He respected his opponent's ability to best him, and he said he didn't want me throwing my life away on a vendetta of vengeance."

"There's something else isn't there?" Naruto prodded.

Haku's lips didn't quiver, and his face was stone cold. Not revealing a once of emotion. However, tears silently streamed down his face.

"He told me to live my life."

"That sounds like a good thing?"

"No, I was a failure. I was just a simple tool for Zabuza-sama to use in his quest, and now I have no purpose."

"Bullshit. You are no tool, you are a human being. If you don't believe you have a purpose, you make one for yourself."

"It's not that easy."

"It's always that easy."

"Then what is your purpose?"

Naruto was quiet as he stared back over the water. "For years, I've always been looked down on by the villagers. They have always hated me, and to be honest I don't blame them. They were just scared and hurt from the torment they had to endure. So I always wanted to gain their attention. Even if it was negative, I just couldn't endure the silence. So, I goofed off. I pulled pranks. Any attention was better than none. So I decided I would make it so no one would be able to ignore me. I had planned on becoming Hokage so that everyone would have to acknowledge me, but I don't think that is a good reason anymore."

"What changed?"

"I got to meet some special people. They were the first to acknowledge me, and se me for who I really am. They mean the world to me, and I would rather die than let them get hurt. I know understand that this is how the rest of the village feels with their own families and friends. How much pain they must have gone through. Now I want to become Hokage so I can protect everyone, so they never have to worry about their connections being broken again."

Haku was silent through his speech and was honored how deep his own words had seemed to sink into the boy. For the first time in a few days, Haku chuckled.

"What is it?"

"You sound a bit like him."

"Like who?"

"Zabuza-sama."

"WAAH!" he comically screamed as he backed away, only causing Haku to chuckle more. "That's not something you want to hear. I don't want to be told I'm like homicidal assassin!"

"He wanted to be a kage too."

Naruto stopped joking and stared at him in surprise. "Really? Then why did he become a missing nin?"

"He wanted to overthrow the current kage."

"Well, that explains it."

"It's a little more complicated than that. Right now, the Hidden Mist village is not what it once was. The country is ravaged by the Mizukage's vendetta against kekkai genkai users. He has been waging a war for years in order to eradicate all of them."

Naruto was furious. Meaningless loss of life always made him mad, but targeting bloodlines users really struck a chord with him. Especially since both of his teammates fell in that category.

"Why isn't anyone doing anything to stop him?"

"There are some, but they are heavily outnumbered by the loyalists. Some support him out of prejudice, others out of fear. Zabuza wanted to raise his own group to challenge the Mizukage, so that's why he took on jobs for people like Gatou. You can't wage a war without funds."

"Why didn't he team up with those other guys?"

Haku chuckled. "Zabuza-sama did not play well with others. He never liked sharing, and he wouldn't be satisfied unless he was in charge. He couldn't stand working under someone else."

"Well, can you?"

"Pardon?"

Naruto stood up as he offered his hand to the boy. "You said you have no purpose. Well, here's a purpose Zabuza would be proud of. Get out there, join that resistance, and help kick the Mizukage-teme's ass."

Haku stared up at him and chuckled. "It's not that simple."

"It's always that simple. You just have to be brave enough to take the first step and do it. And you better believe that I'm going to help you. One of these days, I'm going to head out there and show that bastard a thing or two. Just you wait."

Haku raised an eyebrow. "A genin taking on a kage? You are impressive Naruto-kun, but you would be pounded into dust."

Naruto flashed him a grin. "Now there's a smile! Give me some time. I'm going to surpass all of the Hokage, and I never go back on my word. As soon as I'm able, I'll head out there and help Kiri get back on track. That's my promise to you."

Haku lightly smiled as he took the boy's hand and rose to his feet.

He gave one last look over the water, before they both headed back towards the house.

' _Thank you Zabuza-sama.I will make sure your dream for a united Kiri becomes a reality.'_

The blonde was walking next to him with his hands behind his head and a bright smile lighting up his face.

' _And thank you Naruto-kun, for helping me realize that I can still serve my master even in death.'_

He steeled his eyes as he buried the sadness burning in his chest. He had a new mission, and he was going to make sure it was accomplished.

 _'_ _I'm coming to find you Mei-sama.'_

* * *

The door creaked open as Hinata entered the room. After a lot of arguing and a not so subtle jyuuken strike to his stomach, Sasuke agreed to back down and was confined to his bed. Hinata had done her best to work on the holes in his legs, but she could only do so much.

She was certain that with the work she had done, a professional medical nin would be able to fully heal his legs. Due to the time between their departure and arrival back at the village, there were definitely going to be scars. He would be perfectly functional, but he was now going to have a permanent reminder of his trip to Wave country.

She sat down next to his bed as she activated her byakugan. His heart rate was normal, and everything seemed to be fine. She had made him take a nap, and planned to wake him shortly before dinner.

She pulled up a chair near the base of his bed and sat down. He would be just fine. He would be okay… He would…

She groaned as she held her head. She had been trying to distract herself from her thoughts by trying to find some problem with Sasuke's health. Anything to keep her from revisiting what she saw under the bridge. Sadly, there was nothing wrong. Nothing to keep her distracted.

She sighed as the memories came back to her. It was initially fuzzy, when she first opened her eyes. She couldn't focus too much, and the back of her head felt numb. She had sensed someone to her left, and tried to make out who it was. Her vision started to clear just as whoever it was disappeared, but she had managed to see one characteristic that still made her shiver.

Those horns.

They were the same shape as the figure she had seen all those years ago in the Hyuuga monument. She had spent years reassuring herself she had gotten over it. She even went down their on her own volition for crying out loud. She had spent who knows how many hours in that bottom floor, but that one glimpse of the figure almost reverted her back to that scared little girl who stumbled across something way over her head.

Almost.

There was still that part of her that was scared, but it was now overshadowed by pure curiosity. Why would that figure show up now? Why here? Was there something special about this place? Or was it just something special about her?

She unconsciously reached into her pouch and pulled out the green scroll that followed her wherever she went. She rubbed her fingers along the parchment as she gazed over the strange letterings.

' _What is it that is so special about this?_ _What is so important about these stor-'_

Her breath caught in her lungs. Her eyes widened as she noticed something. The kanji had changed again.

' _So soon?'_ her mind raced at the possibilities as she rolled open the scroll.

Sure enough, below the previous lines was an all-new section. It even had a new title. Hinata eyes scanned over the contents of the page, as the next chapter was revealed.

* * *

 **The Sage and His Sons:**

 **The War of the Sun and Moon**

 **After the Sage had traveled and healed the wounds upon the earth from his monumental battle, he finally returned to his home.**

 **His first child was a carefree and loving child, wise beyond his years. He understood the importance of patience, and he was skilled in everything he attempted.**

 **The second child was just as loving and even more boisterous. He found wonder in everything around him, and was always curious to explore. However, he lacked the natural skill that both his father and brother possessed.**

 **The brothers held nothing but affection for one another. The younger brother adored his sibling, and strived to measure up to his natural talent.**

 **They studied under the teachings of their father, and the older son not only excelled in the art of ninshu, but he pushed it to new heights.**

 **Over time, a shadow was cast over the older brother. Like his father before him, his eyes awoke and glowed red like the lunar eclipse.**

 **He grew cold and focused only on strength. This was his path.**

 **The younger brother struggled and struggled, but eventually, with the help of others, he was able to rival his brother in strength. Though he did not inherit the eyes of his father, he instead received his life force and will that burned like the sun.**

 **He grew compassionate and cooperated with others. This was his path.**

 **When it came time for the Sage to name his successor, the younger brother expected his talented brother to receive the mantle. Instead, the Sage agreed with his younger son's beliefs and passed his position onto him.**

 **Fueled by anger and jealousy, the older brother lashed out the few who were close to him. He pushed his power beyond its previous limits, and reached the second stage.**

 **Just like his grandmother before him, the older brother was corrupted by his focus on power.**

 **Though his eyes never reached their third stage, he challenged his brother and father for the title of succession.**

 **The brothers clashed in both body in ideals as they fought for how the future would be run.**

 **One believing that compassion was the key to peace.**

 **The other believing in force.**

 **With the support of those close to him, the younger brother triumphed over the older brother and forced him into banishment.**

 **Years later, as the Sage lay on his deathbed, the prodigal son returned to his father's side.**

 **Instead of reconciling their differences, the older brother lashed out at his father claiming that his cowardly approach would never bring true peace.**

 **Then he made a solemn vow.**

 **He promised, that no matter how matter lifetimes it took, he would undo his father's work and force the world onto its true path.**

 **When the younger brother heard of his brother's comments, he made his own vow.**

 **No matter how many lifetimes it took, he would continue his feud with his brother until, one day, they could finally reach an agreement and lead the world to a successful future together.**

 **To this day, their spirits travel on from generation to generation. Never at peace as each attempt yields the same result.**

* * *

Hinata tried to absorb this information as it rattle around in her head. With every chapter the scroll revealed, the more complicated the story became. Just what did all of this mean? What did it have to do with her?

"Hey Hinata-chan. Watcha reading?"

Her face turned pure crimson as she yelped and scurried across the room. Her chest heaved as she stared back at Naruto, who was leaning over behind her chair. He had snuck up behind her and stuck his face right next to hers.

"Hehe. I'm sorry Hinata-chan. Didn't mean to startle you like that," he chuckled as he rubbed his head.

"Naruto-kun, please don't sneak up on me like that. You know I don't like to be startled."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to. Tsunami wanted me to tell you guys dinner will be ready in 10 minutes, plus I was just wondering what you guys were up to. I guess the teme's still out cold huh."

She nodded as she caught her breath. She couldn't get rid of her faint blush as she turned towards Sasuke's bed.

"Yes. I placed him in an induced sleep so he wouldn't move. If he tried to walk, it could further damage his injury. He hates sitting still, so I figured putting under would be the best way to….WAIT!"

Naruto jumped a little as Hinata shrieked. He was a little shocked. That was probably the loudest he had ever heard her.

Her eyes were wide as she stared back and forth between the scroll she had dropped on the ground and her blonde crush. She raised a trembling finger as she pointed at the scroll.

"You mean you can see that?"

"What? You mean the scroll? Of course I can. Why wouldn't I?" he asked as he gave her a weird look.

She scrambled back across the room as she lifted up the scroll and held it in front of his face. "You are telling me you can actually see this. The words and everything?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow as he glanced at the page. "Yeah, I can. _The Tale of the Rabbit Goddess._ Sounds like a fairy tale."

Hinata could only stare at him with her eyes wide, as he began to feel worried.

"Hinata-chan. You're freaking me out. Is something wrong?"

Hinata mind was racing as she tried to process what was happening.

 _'_ _What could this possibly mean? No one else has ever been able to see it before. Not even tou-san! How can he see it?'_

Naruto reached out his hand and gently knocked on her head.

"Hellooo. Earth to Hinata. I need some context here."

She bit her lip, as she stared down at the scroll. Her hands trembled as she handed him the scroll. "C-could you p-please r-read it?"

He gave her a look, but took the scroll anyway. If she was having a problem, he was certainly going to try his damndest to help. His panic attack on the bridge from the possibility of loosing either of them had made him feel even more protective of them than before.

She was acting really strange. Then again, Hinata was a strange girl, but that's what he liked about her.

He offered her a smile as he took the scroll and started reading it over. It was a little uncomfortable, as Hinata's eyes never left him. He shook off the odd feeling as he read over the stories.

Blah, blah, blah rabbit goddess.

Blah, blah, blah sage.

Blah, blah, blah…

He paused as he read about the younger brother. Something oddly clicked with him as he read it over. He couldn't explain it, but something about it felt very familiar.

When he was finished, he rolled up the scroll and offered it back to her.

"Cool stories Hinata-chan. I especially liked the one about the brothers. That younger one was cool, even if he was kind of a sissy."

He chuckled as she slowly took the scroll from his hands. She didn't believe it. Someone else could see the scroll.

Tears started streaming down her face, and she stared down at the ground.

Naruto was instantly alarmed as Hinata started crying.

' _What do I do? What_ _do I do? I'm not good with stuff!'_ he panicked. He bent down to see her face, and he was surprised when he saw she was smiling.

Tears of joy streamed down her face as her body shook She was so happy she could barely move.

She really wasn't crazy.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hinata-chan what's wrong?" he desperately asked as he put his hands on her shoulders.

She surprised him, when she grabbed him and pulled him into a deep hug. He was kind of confused, but he returned it anyways. He was more than a little worried, as she shivered against him.

After a minute or two, she released him and wiped away her tears. A light blush crossed her cheeks as she realized what she had just done.

She sniffled as she wiped her nose. "Thank you Naruto-kun."

"No prob. Although I don't really understand what I did," he responded, "Now, can you tell me what's wrong? You're worrying me."

She chuckled as she gripped the scroll harder. "You just reassured me is all."

"Huh?"

She giggled as she stared at his face. He was like a dog as he tilted his head in confusion.

"It's a long story."

"I'll make time."

He really was too sweet. "Let's just say. Not everyone is supposed to be able to see what's written on this scroll, and it's just reassuring that someone else can."

"You mean like a security seal?" He was confused. What could be so special about some fairytale?

She giggled, as she was the one to knock on his head. "Everything is seals with you isn't it?"

"Hehe. I guess it is," he chuckled as he rubbed his head in embarrassment.

"So is it some clan thing?" he asked.

She nodded as she rubbed her thumb against the scroll. "You could certainly call it that."

He opened his mouth to ask her another question, but he was cut off as Tsunami called from the kitchen, "Supper's ready! Naruto-kun, could you please be a dear and help me with setting the table?"

"Coming!" he shouted back.

He turned back to her and gripped her shoulder.

"We'll talk later."

"Looking forward to it," she smiled back.

He flashed her a grin as he started heading back down the hall. She stood there for a moment, letting it all sink in. Someone else could actually see the scroll. She didn't have to keep doing mental gymnastics just to talk to someone about her ridiculous problem.

"Hinata!" Kakashi called down the hall, "Please wake up the sleeping wonder. He's going to need to eat."

"H-hai sensei!" she responded as she broke out of her stupor.

She walked over to the bed as she gently pressed her fingers on his forehead. She streamed her chakra through her body and into her fingers as she gently spread it through his head.

His eyes flickered, and he groaned as started to get up.

"Hey Hinata," he muttered as he rubbed his eyes, "Was the dobe just here? I swear, I could hear him even in my sleep. Isn't there anywhere I can go just to get a small reprieve?"

She giggled as he sat back against the headboard.

"How are you feeling?"

"Stiff," he responded as he rubbed his neck, "but certainly better than I felt yesterday. You certainly know your stuff."

She smiled and bowed a little in response to his compliment. He glanced down at her hands and noticed a tiny green scroll.

"What have you got there?" he asked.

Her voice caught in her throat as she tried to respond.

Again? Could it be possible he could see it to?

Could everyone see it now?

Focusing herself so not to have a repeat of before, she handed it off to him. "Would you like to read it?"

He shrugged his shoulders as he took the scroll from her hands.

As he read over it, he couldn't help but notice the stares she sent him as she gathered up his crutches and cleaned up the floor of anything in his way.

It seemed like just some classical story he had never heard of.

' _I didn't know Hinata was into mythology,'_ he thought as he scrolled down the page.

Like his teammate, he stopped as he came across the section with the brothers. Something bugged him as he read over the description of the older brother. He couldn't tell what, but he felt some sort of connection to this story.

He handed it back to her without a word.

"Well?"

"It's alright I guess. The sun and moon story was alright I suppose. I didn't know you were into this historical stuff."

She was silent, as she seemed to stare off into space. He raised an eyebrow as he waved his hand in front of her face.

"Hinata…"

"Eep! Sorry, I got lost in thought there. But yes, I enjoy looking into historical records and stories. We have a vast collection of them within the clan's library."

He hmphed as he brought his legs over the side of the bed. He took the crutches from her, and she helped him get on his feet. He nearly slipped, but she was right there to catch him.

"Thanks," he muttered a little embarrassed.

"No problem Sasuke-kun. Now, let's head down for dinner."

As they headed towards the door, Sasuke fought with an idea in his head before making a decision.

"Hey," he called to her.

She paused and turned back as she reached for the door handle.

"My clan also has a library within the clan grounds. I don't really go in there much anymore. I only go there for an occasional ninjutsu or taijutsu book, but it is full of other historical stuff you might like. Feel free to drop by any time if you feel like it."

She was surprised by his kind gesture, and she offered him a kind smile and bowed to him.

"Thank you Sasuke-kun. That is quite generous."

"Consider it thanks for fixing my legs. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even be able to continue a shinobi."

They walked out of the room, and surprised when they found Kakashi standing in the doorway.

"I was wondering what was holding you. Inari and Naruto just wanted me to make sure you were on your way. They are foaming at the mouth ready to dig in."

Hinata giggled as Sasuke scoffed.

Kakashi let Sasuke pass, and was about to leave when Hinata caught his arm.

"Sensei, could you wait a minute."

He was surprised, but nodded. Sasuke sent them a look, but Kakashi just waved at him to go ahead. He shrugged and continued hobbling off down the hall.

"What's up? You seem a little more upbeat than the last time I saw you."

"I just got a big weight off my chest. I was able to share something important with both Naruto and Sasuke."

"That's good to hear. Mind sharing it with me?"

She nodded as she stretched the scroll out in front of her.

Seconds passed and she was confused, when he didn't move to take it out of her hands.

"Sensei…"

"Hmm?"

"You can take the scroll now."

"What scroll?"

Her eyes widened as she gazed into his visible eye. His eye seemed fogged over, and he didn't really seem to notice what she was talking about. He simply stared over head.

' _Just like tou-san…'_

This made her feel worried all over again. This didn't make any sense. The boys had been able to see it. Why was this still happening?

She hung her head in defeat as she tucked the scroll back in her kunai pouch. Kakashi's eye returned to normal and he treated her with an eye smile.

"Oh, there you are Hinata. Come on, Tsunami has supper ready. Inari and Naruto just wanted me to make sure you were on your way. They are foaming at the mouth ready to dig in."

"Hai sensei," she replied somberly as she walked past him out the door.

He frowned as he watch her lurch up the hall.

He knew something was wrong after their encounter on the bridge, but she hadn't been acting this strangely. Something else must have happened.

He stared back into the room at Sasuke's sheets.

Had they gotten into an argument? But they had seemed so cordial as he left the room.

He made a mental note to keep an eye on it as he close the door to the bedroom.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Gotta admit. I'm a little thrown off right now. I had a completely different Author's Notes planned out, but I had to change them. I actually planned for this chapter and the next chapter to be released as one. It turned out it was too long, and I couldn't fit everything into one chapter like I wanted to. I've noticed I have around a 6000-word limit if I want to upload a chapter without it freezing on me. So I'll have to split this up into two parts. Next chapter may be a little short since it was originally planned to be tacked onto this.**

 **So I guess we will have to wait another chapter before we can declare that the Wave Arc is officially closed. Oh well. Took us this long to get here. So might as well take our time ending it.**

 **Please leave a review, and I would like to try something new. After your reviews, tell me what has been your favorite chapter or favorite moment from the series thus far. Sound off in the reviews.**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To Justinr20)**

 **How was Haku firing off so many jutsu? Honestly, plot convenience. The fight would be boring if it was strictly taijutsu (that plus I'm not that good at writing taijutsu). That being said, this version of Haku is stronger than the canon version. They were also on top of a body of water. This severely decreases the amount of chakra necessary to perform suiton jutsu. (I was quite interested in your total tally of all the jutsu he used. Nice.)**

 **As for Naruto catching him, I needed Haku to be on the bridge when Gatou showed up. I couldn't do that if Naruto already caught him. So, yes, a bit of a consistency flaw, but just to further the story.**

 **(To Lioness of the Leaf)**

 **The scroll actually responded to both Sasuke's sharingan activation and the presence of Kurama's chakra. As you found out this chapter, stuff is starting to get tied together.**

 **The 3 stands for the third chapter revealed from the scroll. The first chapter dealt with Kaguya, and the second dealt with Hamura and Hagoromo.**

 **(To ND99sama)**

 **Underuse of Kakashi? I had the man chop a guy's arm off, stab him with his own sword, and impale him into a wall. What more do you want from me? (Kidding)**

 **Yes, Kakashi is the least tired out of everyone. If you think about it, he didn't really do much in the canon version of events either. He just stood around, let himself get cut to track the sent, use his dogs, and use Raikiri. Interesting fact, the raiton jutsu he used actually is from the manga. He used it in the fight against Pain. I just slightly shortened the English translation since it is a mouthful.**

 **As for dealing with Naruto, he preferred talking his student down rather than forcing him. Kakashi sees Naruto for himself, not as the fox. I never like that biased Kakashi persona some stories do. I always feel that it drags him and the story down.**

 **Kurama will address that there was a foreign presence later on. However, the figure was only visible to Hinata.**

 **As for Kakashi, he preferred talking his student down rather than forcing him. Kakashi sees Naruto for himself, not as the fox. I never like that biased Kakashi persona some stories do. I always feel that it drags him and the story down.**

 **Naruto only killed Gatou in that incident. He just injured the others (although quite painfully).**

 **(To crono3533)**

 **That's exactly where that came from!**

 **Naruto's speed has already been improved. I've had many characters, mostly Sasuke, talk about it. In this story, he inherited Minato's natural speed.**

 **(To MoonlitMelody)**

 **Loved your review.**

 **(To Kartikey)**

 **No, that was not Toneri. He doesn't have horns. I actually don't know if I will include Toneri in this story. Parts of his movie will be relevant in the plot, but by the point he would show up, Hinata will be at a level, where she could deal with him all by herself.**

 **The Hiraishin will be touched in time. It ain't over til they say its over.**

 **(To marquisshax)**

 **You right. In fact, I'm going to address that myself when we get to the time skip.**

 **(To jfrost22792)**

 **I had entertained the idea as I was drafting the story, but decided against it. Sasuke would just become dull if there wasn't that flair of mystery of what will he choose.**


	25. Chapter 25 - The Fog Lifts (Part 2)

Chapter 25 – The Fog Lifts (Part 2)

He was standing out in the middle of a muddy brown sea. Off in the distance was the kind of island you would typically see on a postcard, with white sandy beaches and palm trees everywhere. To the outside observer, it would have been the picture of paradise if it weren't for the steaming sea of brown water. Strangely shaped objects floated out across the water, which turned out to be bits and pieces of food. Everywhere you looked there were sliced onions, mushrooms, bits of corn, and noodles, which stretched out like seaweed. Every now and then a massive cut of pork would breach from the broth below like a magnificent fish before plunging into the depths below.

It was a sea of ramen!

Naruto smiled in his sleep as his drool slathered across his pillow.

"You bet I'd like seconds," he slurred as he rolled over.

He was blissfully unaware as a dark shadow silently crept into the room. The individual froze as one of the room's occupants let out a loud snore. Tazuna had graciously given up his room on the ground floor for Sasuke to recover, so he had joined Kakashi and Naruto upstairs. The quiet figure tiptoed over their prone forms as it made its way towards the sleeping blonde.

It hovered above him before slowly kneeling on the ground.

"Naruto-kun…. Naruto-kun," it whispered as nudged at him.

He only snored louder as he rolled away from the person. The person next tried to shake him awake, but nothing seemed to work. It sighed as chakra began to swell in its hands. It gave a sharp jab to Naruto's side, and quickly covered his mouth as he shot awake.

He gave his attacker a wild look, which turned to confusion as he faintly made out the familiar form in the moonlight.

"Hinata-chan?" he said in a muffled voice.

She nodded and raised her finger to her lips. She whispered her apologies as she lowered her hand from his mouth.

"Hinata-chan," he whined, "What time is it? I was having the perfect dreeaaammm. Whyyyyy?"

"I'm sorry Naruto-kun, but I really need to talk with you."

He shrugged off his sleepiness as he noticed the look in her eyes. She wouldn't have woken him unless it was important. He stretched his arms above his head and nodded, before rising as quietly as possible.

They both tiptoed out of the room, and shut the door without a sound.

For several seconds, the room remained silent before a lone eye creaked open and stared at the door.

* * *

Naruto followed Hinata downstairs and was surprised, when she took a right and headed down the hall towards Sasuke's room. He was surprised to see Sasuke already awake and leaning against the bed rest, when he entered the room. The light from the candle on his, or rather Tazuna's, night table cast shadows across the room as Hinata shut the door.

Sasuke sent Naruto a glare as he popped a squat at the end of his bed, but made no comment as Hinata joined them as well. He winced as he pulled up his legs so they were crossed, giving everyone enough room on the bed.

"All right, what's up?" Naruto whispered as he settled against the wall.

Hinata seemed more nervous than usual, as reached into her bag and pulled out the green scroll she had shown them earlier and set it on the bed.

"I believe I need to apologize," she whispered as she twisted the sheets in her hands. "I have been keeping some secrets from you, and it is not fair for both of you. You two are the m-most important people in my l-life, and I think I should share some things with you."

Both were silent as different thoughts raced through each boys mind. Sasuke was simply curious what could have her so worked up. Naruto felt guilty as her words cut through his mind. ' _I have been keeping some secrets from you, and it is not fair for both of you.'_ He unconsciously touched his stomach as he thought back to his promise before the trip. It had been easy to say that he would tell them everything after this mission was over, but actually doing so was another thing entirely.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked as he leaned forward.

Hinata twiddled her fingers, as she fought for the words to say.

"I-it's a l-long story, and it m-may take some time."

"We're listening," Sasuke pressed her.

She took a deep breath and she started her tale of her encounter in the library. The more she talked the more she started spilling more and more of everything she had faced since that day. An hour passed as she described everything she had faced over the years: the initial encounter in the library, the ghostly figure, how the scroll seemed to follow her everywhere she went, its effects on others, her research into it, and the reappearance of the horned figure under the bridge.

They were silent as each of them processed the information in their own way. Sasuke was highly intrigued by the existence of a Hyuuga monument similar to the Uchiha's stone tablet. Was there any connection there?

Naruto remained silent as Sasuke commented, "That's a lot to take in."

After a few seconds, he turned to Naruto and shot him a look." You're being awfully quiet."

Naruto didn't seem to react as he kept his head down. "Sorry, just processing things."

Hinata was silent as she glanced between the two. She had never been more nervous in her life. She was going to stretch the hem of her shirt if she kept twisting it. She couldn't read their expressions, and she was incredibly scared of what they would say. What if they didn't believe her?

"Are you sure Kakashi-sensei had the same reaction as your father?" Sasuke asked as he picked up the scroll, rolling it over in his hands.

She slowly nodded her head. "Hai. I have tried multiple times to get through to my father, but nothing ever works. I have been able to simply copy down the stories and he doesn't react that, but whenever I actually bring up the scroll or talk about it, his eyes just seem to fog over."

"And he never remembers anything?" he asked as he gazed through the stories again.

"Never. It will be like we never had talked, or we had simply discussed something else."

Sasuke was silent as he set the scroll back down and closed his eyes.

His silence hurt, but she was even more concerned about Naruto, who had not said a thing since her story.

"Fine then. So, what are we going to do about this strange figure?" Sasuke asked as he crossed his arms.

The shock was evident on her face as she whipped her head at him.

"You actually believe me?"

"I don't see why not. We've only become close over the past few months, but I've known you for years. You are not the type to just make stuff up. You are very honest and kind, almost to a fault. You wouldn't come to us unless this was important to you."

She got choked up as he sent her a light smirk. "Besides, your story is not so crazy after all. Believe it or not, the Uchiha have something similar."

Relief changed to confusion as she waited for him to elaborate. If she was willing to share secrets of her clan, the least he could do was share some of his.

"Hidden within the clan's grounds is a stone tablet that has been passed down through the Uchiha line for generations. It apparently talks about how to fully awaken our eyes, and some supposed path for the clan."

"Have you read it?"

He seemed a little miffed as he stared at the wall. "No… but someone has told me what parts of what it says." The image of those red eyes flashed through his mind as he reflected that one night. "However, now that I've awakened my sharingan, I can start to read it once I get back."

She smiled and nodded at him, as they turned back to their other teammate. He had been uncharacteristically silent this entire time.

"Naruto-ku-"

"I've got something to confess as well," he cut her off.

The others seemed surprised but his outburst. He glanced up and met their eyes as he took a deep breath. He lingered on Hinata's eyes before he let out a sigh. If she could have the courage to open up to them, then so could he.

Hinata had to fight hard not to faint, as he started to take off his shirt.

"Dobe, what the hell are you doing?"

"Not now Sasuke," he replied as he set his shirt to the side and clasped his hands together.

Taken back from the blonde's tone and lack of honorific, he remained quiet as the blonde started channeling chakra.

"Naruto-kun, I don't quite understand." Hinata cut herself off as dark markings began to appear along his stomach. They stared in mild curiosity at his midriff as he opened his eyes.

"Another seal I take it," Sasuke asked as he inspected the intricate squiggles.

Naruto nodded before Sasuke asked, "And just what have you done to yourself this time?"

"I didn't do this. I never would have wanted this," Naruto muttered as the markings disappeared and he put his shirt back on.

Hinata was getting concerned as he let out a weak chuckled and gave them a light smile.

"I hope you guys are up for another long story."

* * *

Kakashi was motionless as he leaned against the wall outside the room, as Naruto began his lengthy discussion about the Kyuubi and his childhood. He didn't mean to spy, but you just don't sneak out of bed at one in the morning without arousing some suspicion.

He was so proud that both of them found the courage to finally open up to the others, especially Naruto. However, it was out of his hands now. It was up to his teammates to either accept him or push him away.

Although, from the soft grunt of two forms colliding with each other and the sounds of Hinata's tearful mutterings, it was safe to assume things were going over well.

All that was left was for Sasuke to decide to join the part and open up as well. However, he was going to be the toughest nut to crack. Kakashi could only hope that listening to the other two sharing their stories would help him decide to as well.

* * *

Hinata had tackled him against the wall in a bear hug. Tears fell from her face as she repeated, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Thank you."

He chuckled as he rubbed the back of her head. It was a better response than he could have ever hoped for. He turned and looked at Sasuke, who still seemed to be thinking it over.

"Is it going to be a problem?" he cautiously asked.

Sasuke was silent before he sighed and gave him a bored look. "I suppose not. You're too stupid to be some conniving, evil fox spirit."

Naruto grinned from ear to ear as he spread his left arm out for Sasuke to join the hug.

Sasuke only sent him a glare. "I don't do hugs."

Without removing her face from Naruto's chest, Hinata's arm shot out and grabbed Sasuke's shirt, before dragging him into the huddle. He groaned and rolled his eyes as Naruto linked his arm around his back, squeezing him into the hug.

Naruto chuckled and Hinata giggled as they all clamped together on the bed.

Sasuke's head rolled backwards and his eyes held a dead look. "Great. We're really close and whatever. Teamwork. Friendship. Yadda, yadda. Can you let go now? You're starting to hurt my legs."

Hinata shook her head. "10 more seconds."

Naruto giggled at the response, before the finally all separated from each other.

"Great. Now that that's out of our system, who's next? Sasuke?" Naruto asked as he turned towards the brunette expectantly.

Sasuke's more upbeat attitude evaporated instantly as he crossed his arms and sent him a dark glare.

"No."

"But teme-"

"I said no. I am not talking about it."

"Please, Sasuke-kun. It really will help," Hinata chimed in.

He glared back at their pleading faces, but he would not waver. He trusted them, but he wasn't sure if he was really ready to open up about that night. Not yet at least.

"Maybe someday, but not today," he said in a tone that ended the discussion.

"Fine," Naruto said as he stuck his tongue at him, much to Hinata's amusement. She gave him a soft gaze. They had not been able to break through his rigid shell, but at least it was a start. The cracks were already beginning to form.

"Now, back to my original question. What are we going to do about the horned figure?"

They all became more serious as they shifted back to their original topic.

"I don't know. I have scoured through the Hyuuga records and I have never been able to find anything about anyone similar. I had thought he would be limited only to that room, but I don't understand how I could have seen him here."

"Have you ever considered that the figure you keep seeing and the stories in that scroll could be connected?" Naruto asked much to the surprise of Hinata. "Is it possible the," he shivered as he said, " _ghostly_ figure and a character from one of the other stories are one in the same?"

Hinata was a little taken back. The thought had truly never crossed her mind. She had always tried to press the memory of the ghostly figure out of her mind, and focused on finding a historical connection to the woman from first story. Within a week, she now had two more chapters to work with, and even more characters brought into the familial story. This presented even more opportunities for her to find a connection.

"No, I had only ever looked for a connection with the first story. The other stories didn't reveal themselves until just this past week as we headed here and the other day."

"Well, then, let's work from there. We can split up the work during out spare time."

"We?"

Naruto and Sasuke smirked at her. "You got us to help you now. You don't have to handle everything alone."

Shikaku Nara's words danced through her head as she gave them a short bow. "Thank you so much."

Sasuke leaned back against the bed as Naruto let out a loud yawn. "Now I think that is enough emotional drama for one night," he muttered as he stretched his arms, "We got a long day of travel ahead of us, so let's at least try to get some shut eye."

"Sounds good to me," Sasuke said as he violently shoved the blonde off the foot of the bed.

Hinata giggled at their antics as she got off the bed and put out the candle next to the bed.

She bade Sasuke good night and made Naruto mutter out something similar, before they started heading back down the hallway. They said their goodbyes and headed back to their respective rooms. As they had left the room, they didn't notice the silent figure drop from the ceiling.

He glanced back at the door to Sasuke's room and sighed. Ah well, you couldn't win every battle at once, but at least it was a start. Things would certainly be easier from here on out. No more hiding, and no more secrets between them.

Well, he had more than his fair share of secrets. Some regarding his own past, and some regarding theirs.

However, Kakashi frowned as he stared down the stairs. Something was wrong. He couldn't place his finger on it, but he felt like he was forgetting something. He was glad Hinata finally got the secret of the Hyuuga ring off her chest, but he felt like some details were missing. He was an ex-ANBU and nine times out of 10, if your gut was telling you something, it was right.

Was there something he had missed?

* * *

Inari couldn't help but sniffle as they said their final goodbyes. The bridge was finally complete. Tazuna had needed some help from Naruto's shadow clones to help repair the damage to the support columns, but now bridge was all set for use.

Naruto ruffled the young boy's hair as he flashed him a smile. Haku smiled fondly at the two of them as he stood behind Tazuna. After prying Inari off his leg, Naruto walked over to him and they shook hands.

"What are you planning on doing with that thing?" he asked, motioning towards the massive sword strapped to Haku's pack.

"I am going to offer it as a gift to the Kiri resistance and to prove that I come in good faith. I'm sure their leader would be thrilled to add another of the seven legendary swords to their arsenal. The appearance of them can help motivate their troops."

"Stay safe. I don't want to come back to help, and find out you did something reckless and sacrificed yourself for someone."

"No promises."

Naruto gave him one final smile, before he nodded and turned back to the group.

"Alright Sasuke, let's get this over with."

"What are you talking about?"

A smile crept over his face as he summoned a clone and handed it his backpack. "Oh, didn't Kakashi-sensei tell you?"

Sasuke sent a hurt look at Kakashi, who shrugged. "Must have slipped my mind. We don't want you hurting your legs on the way back to Konoha, so Naruto has kindly volunteered to carry you."

"What!"

"More like threatened," Naruto muttered under his breath, as he thought back to his talk to Kakashi earlier that morning.

He shivered as walked over and fought Sasuke to remove his backpack.

"I do not need your help dobe! I can walk on my own!"

"Sure, you can," Kakashi chimed in, "but in case you forgot, we have a mission quota to fulfill if you guys ever want to enter the chunin exams. Allowing you to walk by yourself will only eat up more time."

Sasuke stopped struggling and cursed. He sighed in defeat and handed the waiting clone his backpack. He growled as Naruto knelt in front of him.

"Don't worry Sasuke. It will be fun! It's just a piggyback ride you can't escape from. For hours."

Sasuke slapped him in the back of the head, before he climbed onto his back.

Naruto growled as he hoisted him up. "I'd watch that if I were you Sasuke-teme. Who knows how many road bumps we could run into along the way…"

Sasuke seemed to pause before bopping him on the head again. He would probably face some retaliation for that later, but, for now, it was totally worth it.

They all gave Haku, Tazuna, and his family one last wave as they finally headed back home. They would be the first to cross the fully constructed and newly minted "Great Naruto Bridge."

As they headed off into the distance, Haku turned to Tazuna and bowed.

"Thank you for your hospitality. I appreciate your forgiveness and allowing me a place to stay."

Tazuna chuckled. "Think nothing of it. Just give me a head ups if someone else hires you to kill me."

He barked out laughing, and Tsunami sent him a glare. After he calmed down, he asked "So where are you headed?"

Haku turned back towards the direction of town. "I am catching a ship to cross to Kiri in an hour. I will begin my investigation into the resistance once I arrive. I have a war to enter."

His eyes held a new determination as he stared off towards the harbor.

' _I am coming Mei-sama. I will help you rebuild our country.'_

* * *

It was a lovely day as two individuals sat outside of a teashop. The weather was perfect, and autumn was just around the corner.

The raven-haired one took a gentle sip of his tea, as he casually flipped through the newspaper. He made sure every Wednesday to acquire a copy of the same paper. He would give a short glance over the front page, before he calmly flipped through the personals section until he glanced down at the bottom left hand corner of the last page. Some days it would be a simple motivational image or an ad for some obscure company.

Today, it read: "MASKS FOR SALE! THESE MASKS CANNOT BE FOUND ANYWERE ELSE! WANT ORANGE? YOU GOT IT! SPIRAL DESIGN? NO PROBLEM!"

The man's face remained unresponsive as he read through the message once again. He carefully folded up the paper and prepared to get up.

"Hey, if you're done with that, can I have it?" his partner asked with a toothy grin, "I want to read the comics."

He handed him the paper as the other man chuckled. "You have no sense of humor Itachi. It's quite hard having to be the only one to lighten the mood."

"If that is what you call humor," he calmly responded.

Kisame faked a gasp. "Did my ears just deceive me or did you just attempt to crack a joke. Let me make sure cats and dogs aren't falling from the sky."

Itachi ignored him as he pushed in his chair. "Excuse me. I need to take care of something. I'll be back in a moment."

"It's the kung pao chicken we had the other night isn't it? I told you it would give you indigestion," Kisame cackled.

Itachi sent him a glare, which the larger man only responded with a wide grin. He started reading through the confidentials as Itachi headed off down the street.

He had a message to send.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Told ya it would be short. I had planned on releasing this as part of chapter 24, but that chapter turned out longer than I thought it would.**

 **Now I can finally say that the Wave Arc is officially over! Haku is off in search of Mei Terumi and the Mist Resistance, and Team Seven is finally heading back home.**

 **They still have that quota of missions to fulfill before the exams. Speaking of which, I hope you guys are excited for them because they are going to be a bitch to write. It hit me the other day exactly how many fights I have to cover during the preliminaries. Fights we've all read/seen before will be skipped over, but the lineup has mostly been changed.**

 **Next chapter will give the team some more downtime to recover from the Wave mission, and a familiar face will finally arrive in the village.**

 **On a side note, I have reached a decision. The Kitsune Omake/Gaiden shall be released alongside the time skip arcs. I believe this will help accent that feeling that it really had been 3 years in the story, so the weekly schedule shall shift to have one set spot filled by the Kitsune Gaiden and the other by the time skip arcs (I just realized it's going to be like the Kakashi Gaiden. …huh). There are going to be 3 or 4 major plotlines during that period. I hope your excited cause I can honestly say 2 of my top 5 favorite moments of the entire story happen in this time frame.**

 **Anyways, remember to leave a review, and don't forget to answer last chapter's question. What has been your favorite chapter/moment of the series so far?**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To leathanweapon)**

 **Glad you are enjoying the series. Naruto's nee-chan has yet to be revealed. Don't worry, it is coming up rather soon.**

 **As for Sasuke, that would be entering spoiler territory. No, he is not going to become the homicidal maniac he became during the Kage summit, but I can't really talk about his future.**


	26. Chapter 26 - Divide and Conquer

Chapter 26 – Divide and Conquer

"For the last time Danzo, I refuse to allow that to happen!"

The tension in the room was palpable, and some of the select few ANBU allowed to listen in on this conversation were sweating from the pure presence resonating from the imposing figures.

Neither was willing to back down on this matter.

"It is an opportunity that will never happen again! I will not allow the chance to introduce a kekkai tota into Konoha to be dismissed due to your senile old heart," Danzo growled as he banged his cane on the ground.

"It is called having a conscience! I will not allow such a young child to be used as a breeder just for possibility that the bloodline limit would skip over her and move on to her children!"

"Fine. Then what of the boy? We confirmed from his blood work that he will certainly inherit the ability. We should be setting up candidates-"

"The boy is only 6!" the Hokage roared as he stepped up straight in the bandaged man's face.

The remaining occupants of the room remained quiet as they watched this struggle of power persist. They both knew the Hokage would make the final decision in the matter, but Danzo did have a point and the Hokage knew it. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up, but he just couldn't force himself to allow it. Konoha prided itself with reframing from those particular barbaric acts unlike certain villages. He would not allow the village or his heart to be tainted by such a practice.

The tall man leaning against the wall coughed to gather everyone's attention.

"How about a compromise? I completely agree with sensei. We cannot and **_will_** not use a child just for breeding purposes. That being said, Danzo is right as well. This is a very useful opportunity that would be foolish to let slip out of hand. At the very least, we should take a DNA sample and keep it on record. That way, no matter what happens to the kids, we have a sample hidden safely away. That way, in the event that sensei or any future kage believes we should introduce the bloodline, it will be possible to do so."

Danzo seemed disgruntled, but could not argue with the logic. He would have much preferred introducing the limit as soon as possible, but having it on record was better than not having it at all, especially with how difficult it would be to argue this with Hiruzen.

The Hokage sighed and nodded his head. He didn't like it, but it was a much better alternative.

"All right then," Jiraiya said as he pushed off the wall, "Now with that taken care of, let's move on to the next problem. What to do with the kids?"

Homura turned her gaze to her old teammate. "How is Kitsune's investigation coming along?"

"Moderately. He has been following up on his lead with a tattooed individual responsible for the family's death, but he isn't getting very far. If we ever plan to bring this up to the Tsuchikage, I want an outlet other than us for him to focus his rage. Kitsune has not found any trace of a man similar enough in the bingo book, and has been interrogating the Zaofu clansmen we have locked away."

"How come the Yamanaka's scan hasn't revealed anything?" Koharu chimed in, "It is very troubling that someone has been able to resist their jutsu."

"Indeed, although the answer is more simple than you'd think. The man has a seal planted inside the back of his mouth that forcefully triggers his mutation abilities, whenever somebody tries to access his mind. His brain is completely altered to metal, which makes it impossible for the Inoichi to access his hippocampus."

The Hokage shot Jiraiya a glance. "I was hoping you could take a look at that while you are here."

Jiraya nodded. "I'll see what I can do."

"But why go through such levels of secrecy?" Danzo muttered, "There is no reason for a seal of that magnitude or risk someone so valuable to a clan's revival unless the mission was of the utmost importance."

"Something doesn't add up," Jiraiya agreed.

"I concur. That is why Ibiki has been on him day and night. The prisoner is quick to anger and prone to lashing out, but is surprisingly very tight lipped about his mission. There is more to his activities than just stealing some documents, but we are getting off topic. Like I said, I want to hold off from making a final decision regarding the children until Kitsune's investigation is complete."

The room was silent before Jiraiya raised his head. "And what of the other perpetrator? The one in the orange mask?"

Danzo and Sarutobi shared a quick glance before he responded, "This is the other important issue I wished to discuss. Based on Kitsune's report, we have reason to believe that the masked individual could possibly be an Uchiha."

Silence fell over the room, as the ANBU in the corners felt their hearts stop.

"Not possible. The only two left are Itachi and his younger brother," Koharu said as she shook her head.

"Not quite," the Sandaime muttered as he sat back in his chair, "Based on new evidence, we now have reason to believe that Itachi Uchiha had assistance, when he massacred his clan."

Jiraiya squinted his eyes as he stared at his teacher. "From what source?"

"I am not at liberty to say," was his only response. After placing his add in the newspaper, he had only had to wait two days before he received a message tied to the ankle of a crow. It was very short, and contained only one sentence: _"I had help."_

"Obscure as ever," Jiraiya muttered as he shot a quick glance at Danzo, who he noted made no comment on such a discovery. "Anyway, you haven't answered my question. What are we going to do with the children?"

The Hokage took a puff of his pipe before he responded. "For now, nothing. We can't risk drawing undue attention to them from the other villages or civilians. I'll see to it that we acquire a more in depth blood sample to place in storage. As the chunin exams start getting under way, I'll have an ANBU shadow them in case someone else knows something we don't. Danzo, I want you focusing your efforts into looking into the identity of this masked Uchiha. I know we scoured the records for anyone, who might have been out of the village at the time, but apparently we missed someone. Look for anyone who might have been presumed KIA around the time of the attack."

Danzo nodded. "Consider it done."

"Good. That is all. You are all dismissed."

The elders rose from their chairs, and headed out the door, one by one, leaving the master and his pupil alone in the office.

The Hokage glanced towards the dark shadows in the corners and said, "You too."

There was a swirl of wind, and silence once again settled over the office.

Hiruzen sighed as he leaned his head back into the headrest.

"I apologize that had to be the first thing you had to face when you got home."

"Don't sweat it sensei. I'm more worried about you. You seem more stressed than usual."

The Hokage chuckled as he opened one eye and glanced at his student. "That would be thanks to your rambunctious goddson, who can't seem to keep himself out of trouble."

A grin split apart on the old sage's face. "What has he done now?"

"As I should have expected, their first official C-rank mission escalated rather drastically. Not only do they topple a monopoly within the region, they faced down and killed one of the Seven Legendary Swordsmen of the Mist and simply let his accomplice walk scot-free away with the sword. Not content with stopping there, Naruto seemed to have influenced the accomplice to go off and join the Kiri rebellion. That boy and his team are becoming more and more of a headache than I bargained for."

Jiraiya barked with laughter, and Hiruzen shot him a mock glare. "Can you imagine the diplomatic nightmare it would be if the Mizukage found out we aided and encouraged a highly powerful kekkai genkai user to fight against him? I'm still dealing from the last international incident he almost caused."

Jiraiya chuckled as his laughter died down. "From what you've told me, he's becoming just as much of a sealing expert as his father was."

The Hokge nodded. "Indeed he is. It's remarkable how far he's progressed without any aid. Minato at least had you and Kushina, but Naruto has been studying all on his own."

Jiraiya was silenced by that comment, and sent his teacher a curious look. "Well, maybe he doesn't have to anymore."

He leaned on the desk and sent his teacher a grin. "What does the brat have set up for the next two weeks?"

* * *

 ** _1 day later_**

Ria swept the floor as yet another hour ticked away at the nagging clock above the register.

She had been working at this store for over two years now. It was nothing special, but not exactly a dump either. It was just a small grocery store that was linked to a tiny family deli next door. Madame Maria rented the space out to a nice small family who had come to Konoha from Rain country to start a new life. Madame Maria could be such a pain, but Ria knew that her boss had a heart of gold deep down. It was just buried under the many problems one faced when running a small business. After all, she would go out of her way to help her and her younger brother.

She was aroused from her thoughts by the bell chime from the front of the shop.

"Welcome to Madame Maria's Grocery and Deli. How may I help you today?" she recited as she turned around and froze at the person in the doorway.

The boy stood holding the glass door with freshly applied bandage wraps tied around his ankles and right shoulder.

"I said I'd be here didn't I?" he smirked as he shut the door behind him.

She glanced up and down at him before she raised her eyebrow. "If you think that being injured is going to gain any sympathy from me, you are mistaken."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he replied as he made his way through the store.

"Good. Now then, what the hell did you do to yourself?" she asked as she circled him, inspecting his wrappings.

"It looks worse than it really is. I'm really fully healed, but the doctor wouldn't let me go without these just to make sure I didn't scratch at the scars."

"Well, glad to see you didn't get yourself killed duck-butt," she smirked as a tick mark appeared on his forehead. He didn't want to call her out on it, but he knew it would just encourage her more.

"I've told you, my name is Sasuke."

"I know, but I just can't help it. I call 'em as I see 'em, and your hair fits the bill."

He simply grunted as he glanced across the store. "So what is it you do here?"

She lightly blushed in embarrassment as she glanced at the floor. "Basically anything they need me to do. I restock the products during the day, sweep the floors, and sometimes work cashier. Sometimes like today, my boss has me working as a waitress in the deli next door."

He raised his eyebrow and glanced at her. "Aren't you a little young to be working this much?"

She glared back at him. "Aren't you a little young to be a shinobi?"

He shrugged at her fair response. It was just a little odd for someone his age to have a job this young. It was a foreign idea to him to work as a civilian. The closest he had ever come was doing those inane D-rank missions, but those had been shut down rather fast. Plus, he always reassured himself that they were all for the success of the village. This was just his pride and moral code eating away at him.

"So what will I be doing to help anyways?"

Her eyes glimmered as she grabbed him by the hand and started leading him towards the deli.

"Hanaya-san! You've got an extra helper today!" she shouted towards the back.

"Really now?" a voice replied as a young man poked his head out of the kitchen door.

He was a rather skinny man with short hair, dressed in black work clothes and a white apron.

He offered the boy an apologetic smile as he noticed Ria dragging him along. The girl could be quite forceful. He offered them a small bow as he spoke, "It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Hanaya Yohei. And yours?"

"Sasuke Uchiha," he replied as he returned the bow.

"Really now? Well, it's an honor to be graced with your aid Uchiha-sama."

Ria shot him a strange look. "Man, people just love to kiss your ass don't they?"

Hanaya lightly bopped her with his ladle. Not enough to hurt her, but enough to garner her attention. "Language Ria. We really need to work on your manners," he sighed as he wiped the untensil off with a towel.

"But manners are boring!" she groaned as she hung her head back.

Sasuke's brow twitched as he started to draw painful comparisons to a certain blonde he knew.

"Well know, how will you be assisting me Uchiha-sama?" he asked.

"I figured you could let Gribs have the day off and let Sasuke here work the dishes," Ria responded for him with a smirk.

Sasuke sent her a glare. "Hey, all I did was spill over some fruit."

He backed away as she got right back in his face. "Yeah, and almost all of it bruised because of you, which means nobody bought it. Madame Maria docked half of my pay for the day because of that! So you are going to help Hanaya through the lunch rush and then we can call it even."

Sparks between their eyes as neither wanted to back down. Finally Sasuke just sighed, and snatched an apron off the wall. Better to just get this over with.

"Let's just do this," he sighed as he headed into the kitchen.

Ria sent him a smirk and a tiny salute before heading back towards the other store.

* * *

Across the village, Hiashi Hyuuga sat at his desk working through his daily paperwork. A short knock on his door caught his attention.

"Yes?"

"Excuse me sir," one of his maids called out, "but you have a visitor."

Hiashi frowned. "I do not recall having a appointment today."

"No sir. He said that he did not need an appointment. We obviously told him to schedule one, but he simply showed the gate guards one of the clan's lotus tokens."

Hiashi straightened up at that. Those tokens were rarely handed out by a clan head, and usually only to their closest of friends and family outside of the clan. Right now, there was only one man alive whom he had given that token.

"Send him in at once, and please bring us some tea."

"Yes sir."

Hiashi began clearing his desk, just as the door slid open.

A rare smile spread across his face as a familiar faced walked up to his desk. "Jiraiya-sensei, I was unaware you were in town. I'm pleased you dropped by."

"Come now. It's the least I could do to check in on my favorite student," he boomed with a smile.

Hiashi raised his eyebrow and sent him a glare. "Your favorite by default. I'm the only one left."

Jiraiya let out an embarrassed chuckle and rubbed his head as he took a seat across from him. "Now I wouldn't say that."

"We've gone over this before. Minato was the favorite. Mikoto and I knew that well enough."

"Now, don't be all stingy. You know how much I cared for each of you."

"Indeed I do, but that doesn't mean I won't stop poking at your guilt just a little. It is too entertaining."

They both chuckled as they nostalgia washed over them. The maid brought in a plate of tea, and the two eagerly began catching up.

It had always bugged Jiraiya how much Hiashi would change when he was in private versus when he was in public. No one ever really got to see his more upbeat side. The side of him that drew his wife to him.

"Have you seen her son yet?"

"Mikoto's?"

Hiashi nodded. "You should see him. He looks so much like her, especially his face and hair."

"Hopefully not too long," Jiraiya cut in.

"Just the bangs and color," Hiashi amended. "However, he seems to have picked up more of his father's personality than hers."

Jiraiya sighed as he sipped his tea. "I'll never understand what she saw in him."

"None of us did," Hiashi responded as he set down his cup.

"And how is little Hinata-chan doing? I think she was about to me knee the last time I saw her."

Hiashi was quiet before he responded. "She is doing well. She takes so much after her mother. Her looks, her personality, her aptitude in creating new jutsu. It's like gazing into the past. She even managed to persuade her mother's summons to accept her."

Jiraiya chuckled at Hiashi's uncomfortable look. It was always a sour point for the patriarch that the clan's summons never accepted him. However, Jiraiya had noticed his pause. "Is something wrong?"

"We've had a couple…incidents over the past few years, and they have been increasing in frequency over the past few months."

"Define incident."

"Do you remember when I came to you for your advice regarding the stone ring hidden beneath the library?"

"I recall. Did you ever make any progress?"

"None at all. But somehow Hinata has."

Jiraiya froze and slowly set his tea down on the desk. "Really now?"

"Indeed. When she was about ten, she stumbled down into the library and the ring activated to her presence. The whole room was leaking chakra, and she was bombarded with information. She has revealed more knowledge about the monument than any clan leader has in over seventy years."

"That doesn't sound too bad," Jiraiya mused as he leaned back crossing his fingers.

"However, there is a problem that I have begun to notice. She is lying to me."

"Little Hinata? She was so sweet and innocent. I thought you said she was just like her mother?"

Hiashi nodded. "She is. Until very recently, she was as shy as you could possibly imagine, and could hardly get a sentence out through her stuttering. Her exposure with her teammates has certainly helped her grow more comfortable in her own skin. She is more compassionate than I find acceptable in a shinobi, but she knows when to shelf her emotions for the sake of a mission. What is bothering me is where she is getting certain information."

Jiraiya nodded, prompting him to go on.

"I recently had Shikaku Nara take a swing at translating some of the hieroglyphs on the wall. He and his cousin have made decent progress from the words Hinata claimed to have seen from the initial incident, but her recent stories are not adding up. She has been claiming to decipher new stories, but I do not believe where she says they are coming from are quite true."

"Why?"

"When she approached me with the first story, I was very pleased that she had decided to open up to me. I had her show me where on the wall the story came from, but when I handed it off the Shikaku, he reported that the translations did not match up."

Jiraiya frowned as he stroked his chin. "Do you believe her stories are genuine?"

"Absolutely. Her translations from the first event matched up too perfectly to Shikaku's findings for her to be faking the incident. What is making me doubt her claims of their origin is what she told me two days ago. She had just returned from her mission to Wave country, and the next morning she ran into my office claiming to have found out the next portion of the story."

"But…" Jiraiya egged on.

"But Hinata never went downstairs to the library the night she returned."

"How are you sure?"

"There are seals placed along the entrance to the final floor. They are mostly there to prevent people, who are not from the main branch from entering, but they also serve another purpose. The seals register anyone who enters through the barrier. I checked the seals, and there were no new events logged in for that night."

"Could they have been tampered with?"

"I don't believe so. Those seals were crafted by some of the leading experts among the elders, plus Hinata does not have any training in fuinjutsu."

Jiraiya paused for a moment before he snorted and smirked back at student, before throwing his head back and laughing. Hiashi seemed confused by the outburst.

"She might not have any fuinjutsu knowledge, but I'm pretty sure she knows someone who does. That boy. He just can't seem to keep himself out of trouble."

Hiashi's eyes widened as he realized what Jiraiya was proposing. "But why? What would they gain from hiding their presence? If I knew she went down there, it would only help her story's credibility."

"Don't know. Doesn't make sense to me either, but that seems like the only logical conclusion we have for now."

Jiraiya straightened his back as he stared at his former student. "I say let her work it out. If she is making progress and her friends are willing to help her, then I say leave it up to them. Just keep an eye on their developments and try to keep up with what she gives you."

Hiashi hung his head. "But I already promised I would help her. She may be a kunoichi, but she is still just a child. I have made too many mistakes raising her, and I want to be able to help her now."

Jiraiya was silent as he stared at his last student. "Tell you what. Make me a copy of these stories and I'll take a look into them myself. I travel around enough, and I may know of someone who will recognize them."

Hiashi smiled and bowed his head. "Thank you sensei. I appreciate it."

"What else are teachers for?"

* * *

 ** _Several Hours Later_**

Sasuke growled as he set the final dish back on the rack. It had been grueling work for the past few hours and he was tired of these ridiculous chores. He couldn't argue he had anything else to do, but working in a kitchen was not the first thing that came to his mind. Kakashi had forbidden him from training until the doctor removed the bandages.

"Great job duck-butt. I must say I'm impressed. How was getting your noble hands a little dirty doing some grunt work?"

He cast her the side eye as he hung up the apron back on the wall. "I've made up for my inconvenience. I'll see you around."

"Wait, wait!" she cried as she grabbed him by the shoulder. "Don't be such a sourpuss. I'll say it. Thank you for keeping to your word. You more than made up for it."

She sent him the first honest smile he had seen from her, and she began pushing him towards the door.

"Now let's go! I'm starving and I could use something to eat!"

Sasuke could only lightly protest, as he was dragged down out the door and down the street.

"Come one. There is this little place on the corner two blocks from here that is just to die for."

"Hey, let me go. I'm not that hungry."

Right at that moment, his stomach decided to let out a loud groan. She giggled and a tick mark appeared on Sasuke's forehead. Of course.

"Fine. Lead the way."

They began walking side-by-side and continued down the street. As they were walking, two sets of eyes bulged at the sight of the pair. One was about to speak out, but the other clamped her hand to the other's mouth. They quietly took to the roofs as they silently started stalking the pair.

Sasuke's earlier comparisons to his blonde teammate resurfaced and he groaned as he caught sight of their destination.

"What? Don't you like Ichiiraku Ramen?"

"I think I'm going to be sick. This is the only place my teammate drags us to for lunch."

"Then he must have good taste," she remarked as she dragged him under the banners.

"Hey old man! Hit me up with your best pork ramen!"

"Ah, Ria. I was wondering when you would show up." the old man chuckled as he came out from the back. "And Sasuke too?"

He was surprised as he saw the two of them sit down. "How do you two know each other?"

"I owed her a favor," Sasuke quickly cut in before she could comment. The last thing he needed was the chef blabbing to Naruto about his day of manual labor.

If he ever found out, he would never live it down.

* * *

"I'm never letting him live this down," Naruto smirked as he and Hinata stared at the two from an alley across the street.

"Naruto-kun be nice," Hinata chided.

"Fulfill a promise my ass. He just ditched us, so he could hang out with some girl."

"You don't know that. Maybe he has finally made a new friend."

"Bull. It took us all nearly dying before we became friends. Oh, can you imagine Sakura-chan and Ino-chan right now? Their reactions would be priceless!"

Hinata couldn't help at giggle at the idea, but was shocked and tugged at Naruto's shirt as he started to leave their hiding place.

"What are you doing?"

"What do you think? I'm going to embarrass the hell out of him."

"Don't you dare! You know how hard it is for him to make friends. Just leave him be."

"But Hinata-chan!" he whined.

"What do you two think you're doing?"

They froze in place at the sound of the voice. They trembled as they slowly turned around to face Kakashi squatting right behind them.

"Now, why are you two bothering your teammate?"

* * *

Sasuke frowned as he heard screaming coming down the street, but he was distracted when Ria asked, "So why are you all bandaged up? I thought you rookie ninja didn't really go on dangerous missions."

"I'm curious to know myself," the Ayame said as she leaned on the counter, "Naruto-kun dropped by and gave us his version of the events, but as you can guess, they were a bit embellished. It would be nice to hear your perspective on it."

So Sasuke began describing their mission to Wave, filling in the blanks that his teammate had neglected to fill. Everyone in the restaurant flinched when he mentioned being impaled by Haku's water spikes, and remained silent as he finished his story.

"How did you all deal with that Gatou guy?" Ria asked.

"Not sure. Hinata healed me and was helping me up the bank of the river the entire time. I don't really know the details of what happened after I passed out."

Ria was silent before she said, "I think I have to amend my earlier statement."

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked as he swiveled his chair.

"When you were leaving the village, I think I blurted out how all you shinobi just fight for money… I may have been a little rude. I'm just a little bitter about shinobi in general, but even I know you all aren't like that. Some of you fight for more than that."

She smiled as she glanced up at him, "You are lucky to have such a special friend. The only thing he seems to care about his helping his friends. He must care an awful lot."

Sasuke was silent as Naruto's rampage at the sight of his injured friends raced through his mind. "Yeah, I guess he does."

The restaurant fell silent. Bursting the awkward silence, Ria began to chuckle.

"You shinobi are all so strange. Taking missions to kill others, yet won't stop spouting off about love and friendship. That plus your ridiculous ninja-magic…"

Sasuke snorted as he glanced at her. "Ninja-magic?"

She pouted as she put her hands on her hips. "How else can you explain it? You guys can walk up walls, shoot fire, and make water dragons for god's sake. You are all so weird to me."

Sasuke actually chuckled at the girl's rant. It had been a long time, since he honestly chuckled like that.

The duo began to argue over the science of chakra, as a lone figure watched them from across the street. Kakashi chuckled at how the girl was able to get a rise out of his student, before he turned to leave. It wouldn't be fair for him to spy just after he had chastised his other students for doing the same thing.

* * *

 _Two Days Later…_

"Well, I want to congratulate you all again for completing what should have been an A rank mission. I'm glad to see the time I allotted for you wasn't a waste."

They smirked under the praise as they lined up in front of the Hokage.

"That being said, you still have a quota to fill if you want to qualify for the chunin exams, so I hope you're ready for your next assignment. Team Seven is going to be assigned to deal with a small bandit camp that has set up near the boundaries of one of our ports."

Naruto was bursting with glee and bouncing around. Now this is what he was talking about.

"Unforunately, you will not be joining your teammates on this assignment Naruto."

Naruto was instantly deflated and crashed into the ground. "WWHAAAT! WHY?"

The Hokage ignore his outburst as he continued. "You have a lot of ground to cover if you want to fill up your mission quota. So I have decided to split up some of the work so you knock multiple missions out at the same time."

Naruto seemed slightly reassured by that. In fact, it almost sounded more appealing.

"So I get to take on a C-rank by myself?"

"Not entirely. You'll simply be accompanying someone a short distance from the village, and serving as his assistant with some of his work. You should be excited Naruto, for you'll be helping the village's seal master while he's in the village."

Naruto's eyes grew to the size of saucers, and stars started twinkling in his eyes. This was one hundred times better than dealing with some stupid bandits. He was in heaven!

As he went off in his own dreamland, the Hokage turned to Kakashi.

"In the meantime, Gai has happily offered one of his students to take Naruto's place on your mission."

Kakashi nodded as Naruto was shaken from his stupor and raced on top of Hokage's desk.

"So who is he? Where is he? What's he like? When do I get to meet him?"

His barrage of questions was halted as someone knocked on the door.

It was an older man that none of the genin recognized. He was tall with spiky white hair that stretched down his back.

The man glanced at Sasuke and Hinata and mentally smirked. Hiashi had been right. They really were clones of their parents.

They weren't the only ones.

He sadly smiled as his eyes finally fell on Naruto. It hurt him just as much as he thought it would. He reminded him so much of Minato when he had been that age, especially with those clothes.

The Hokage coughed as he caught Naruto's attention.

"Naruto, this is Jiraiya. You'll be accompanying him for the next few days."

Jairaya smirked as he walked over ruffled his hair.

"So, sensei tells me you've got quite the knack for seals."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **So Jiraiya has finally burst his way into the story. Finally, we can start getting into the complicated laws of fuinjutsu. This fic is marketed as a fuinjutsu story after all. I hope you guys enjoy my perspective on it.**

 **Heads up, don't expect more chapters until Tuesday afternoon. I'll be super busy until then.**

 **In case some of you were confused, the message to Itachi in the newspaper was from the Third Hokage. It was his way of asking what he knew about Tobi. He has to have a way to keep in touch with his agent somehow.**

 **Also, since it was slightly confusing, Hinata and Naruto did not sneak into the library. Jiraiya and Hiashi don't know about the scroll, so this is what they think Hinata is doing. Based on what they know, this is the most logical assumption they can make.**

 **In other news, the final outline for the entire series has been finished. Everything is fully plotted out, and just waiting to be written. It was shocking to me, when I realized there are like 9 arcs I have planned for shippuden, not including the epilogue. (UUUGGGHHH! That is** **sooo long. BUT! I do it for you guys!)**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To cbusch800)**

 **Each story has a different reputation. Kaguya is completely forgotten to time. There is no record of her anywhere. Due to his importance in the creation of ninshu (or ninjutsu), the Sage of Six Paths is considered as a creation deity of myth. People may know about him, but most don't believe he was real (kind of like how people think about Greek gods). Ashura and Indra are not remembered for different reasons. The world was stuck in the warring clans period for a thousand years. Incidents, such as the Hyuuga fire mentioned earlier in the story, made keeping records of their founders hard to maintain. Details were either lost simply due to unfortunate accidents or destroyed with malicious intent to hide the truth. They do have their respective stone tablets to keep their ancient records though**.

 **(To KK)**

 **Funny enough, I just checked my outline of the story and counted how many fights would actually be depicted in detail and it turned out to be five. Good guess. I hadn't even planned on that.**

 **Can't skip the preliminaries. People need to know how the order of the tournament turns out the way it does. Some characters that had canonically failed the preliminaries will actually move forward, and some who had passed will fail. Plus there are certain characters that I want to give a little love to. Everyone deserves their time to shine. I will confirm that there will be 12 contestants in the final tournament, and we will see about 5 matches before shit hits the fan.**

 **(To Iamdahn)**

 **The story shall pretty much follow the arcs laid out in canon for the rest of part one. That doesn't mean things won't happen differently, but the basic plotlines of arcs, such the Sound Invasion and the Tsunade's retrieval, will follow the canon to a certain extent.**

 **I can happily announce that the plotlines during the time skip will be completely original.**

 **Shippuden is a completely different story than part 1. This is when everything comes to a head. Everything that has been set up in part one, the time skip, and the gaiden story shall finally come back full force. Those arcs are about half canon and half non-canon. Some may draw from the canon events, but only serve to lead into an original story. I am going to be posting a Kitsune Gaiden during the time skip, which will be essential to read to understand the future stories. Certain characters that will come up in the original arcs will be introduced in this story.**

 **If you got any questions for me, just shoot me a PM.**

 **(To StarGazer2326)**

 **Good on you for doing your homework. That is a very good guess, but not exactly the right answer. You may find some hints towards the title's origin in chapter 16 and 18.**

 **(To Helyanweh)**

 **…** **Is it sad that this comment stung more than the one, where the troll tried to cram as many cuss words in one sentence as possible? I went back and read the chapter you left the review on, and there was only just one jutsu. (Although, I do have to thank you for bringing it to my attention, since I had forgotten to change that one jutsu from Japanese to English.)**

 **In regards to yelling out the jutsu names, can't help it. Hate the game, not the player; although, I can understand where you're coming from. If the author spouts off the name of the jutsu every time it's used, it can get irritating and repetitive. That's why I have the character's show off the jutsu's name and what it does once, and then they use it without words from then on out. They may say every now and then for dramatic flair, but that's the general guideline I follow.**


	27. Chapter 27 - The Laws of the Universe

Chapter 27 – The Laws of the Universe

"YOSH! I am very pleased to meet each of you, and I look forward to a successful mission!"

Kakashi wanted to sigh as he stared at Gai's energetic clone. One unitard-clad shinobi was bad enough, but this…

"Team, this is Rock Lee. He will be filling in for Naruto until we get back."

Hinata was confused by his boisterous attitude, but still offered him a small bow. Sasuke just sent him strange look. He almost would have preferred dealing with Naruto's incoherent science babble, to this strange kid.

"Hello Lee-san. My name is Hinata Hyuuga."

"I am very pleased to meet you Hinata-chan. Neji has told me much about you, but I am certain you will prove him wrong. And you must be Sasuke Uchiha correct?"

"And what if I am?" he glared.

"I hope that once our mission is complete, you will agree to a spar with me. I have heard of your reputation, and I be very appreciative to test myself against you!"

Sasuke smirked. The guy had energy; he'd give him that.

"Sounds fun."

"Excellent! I look forward to the day we clash in youthful battle! Our flames shall blaze into the night as our hearts burn with the tremendous heat of battle! Let us complete our mission as quickly as possible so we may return for our fight! Are we ready to depart Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi sighed at the future headache, but nodded. "Alright, if we hurry, we should be able to mop up the camp and be back within 5 days. I want to be back in 4, so let's move out."

They all nodded, and they shot off out of the gate.

After several minutes of soaring through the trees, Sasuke speed up and fell alongside Hinata. He had noticed her reaction to this Neji guy's comment, and it didn't sit well with him.

"Something on your mind?" he asked as he settled into her pace.

"It's nothing. Really," she murmured as they jumped from branch to branch.

"Isn't it usually your job to get me to open up?" he teased.

She chuckled at his comment, "Yes, I suppose it is."

Sasuke glanced back at Kakashi and Lee, who seemed to be caught up in their own conversation about something regarding a rivalry.

"I think we have some time before either of them will bother to listen in. So what was up about this Neji guy?"

"My cousin and I are not exactly on the best of terms," she murmured.

"Why not?" he asked as he kicked off from the next branch.

"He has been deeply hurt, and holds a stiff grudge against the main branch. He blames me and my father for something very awful that happened to his father."

"When did this happen?"

"When I was about five," she replied.

It clicked as he remembered hearing about the Hyuuga incident from his mother. She had been very worried the day afterwards, and held him more than she usually did. Apparently, she had been very close to someone in the clan.

"That doesn't seem very fair. You were too young to do anything at that point."

"Maybe, but he is right. It was my fault. If it weren't for me, his father would still be alive," she murmured as she dashed ahead of him.

Sasuke did not have a smart rebuttal, so he let her stay ahead of him. Dammit, it was Naruto's department with talking sense into people, not his.

He sighed as he realized he would have to talk to the blonde once he returned to the village regarding their teammate.

"The more things change, the more things stay the same," he murmured as they raced off through the woods.

* * *

Naruto was uncharacteristically quiet as they walked through the village. Jiraiya could tell he was shooting him occasional glances, but apparently he just wouldn't speak up.

"Got something to say?"

"Sorry," Naruto fumbled, "I just don't know where to start. I've been looking forward to meeting a seal master so much, that I don't even know what I should ask first."

"Well, let's start with introductions. Go on and tell me about yourself."

Naruto smiled as he stared back at the older man. "Well, I'm sure jiji has told you that I love studying fuinjutsu, but I really love training with my team even more."

 _'_ _Of course, they both have the same one track mind,'_ Jiraiya scoffed.

"Is it true that you trained the Yondaime?" Naruto asked.

Jiraiya puffed out his chest. "Yes. Yes I did."

Naruto gazed up at him like a child in wonder. "Wow. That makes you, like, my grand-sensei. What was he like?"

Jiraiya chuckled as he rubbed the boys hair.

"Honestly, a lot like you. He didn't come from some noble family or clan. He was just a kid off the streets, who had a lot of natural talent and the will to push that talent beyond its limits. Like you, he didn't know when to put the books down, and take the time to smell the roses."

Naruto blushed as he rubbed his head.

Jiraiya smiled and stared up at the stone face of his lost student.

"He was my pride and joy, but that's not to say my other students didn't disappoint either."

Naruto sent him a confused look, and Jiraiya laughed. Oh, this was going to be the death of him. Kushina always sent him and Minato that same exact look, whenever she was cofused.

"What do you mean?"

"A team has three members numb-skull, or did you think the Yondaime didn't need a team?"

Naruto was astonished that he had never even considered that the Yondaime had to have had teammates as well. He had never heard of them.

"What did they go off to do? Are they fuinjutsu masters like you and the Yondaime?"

"Not quite," he chuckled, "They never really appreciated the art as much as you or I do, but that is not to say they didn't have their own accomplishments. All three of them did amazing work during the Third Shinobi War. Afterwards, one of them planned to take a break to raise a family before she would return to active duty, and the other one got slugged behind a desk and now has to deal with clan duties."

"What were they like?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"Why don't you ask your teammates about their parents and find out?" Jiraiya smirked as Naruto froze in the dirt.

"Wait! Wait! Wait! Are you telling me the teme's dad-"

"Mother," Jiraiya corrected.

"Mother. And Hinata-chan's dad were both on Team Seven too?"

"Wow, you really can accomplish something if you use that brain of yours," Jiraiya teased.

Steam erupted from Naruto's ears, and Jiraiya merely laughed.

"I'm teasing squirt, but yes, all three were my students, just like you guys are for Kakashi."

Naruto was quiet as he digested this new information. This brought a whole new light to the team's dynamic. It not only made him feel a little closer to his teammates, but also to the hero he had never gotten to meet. He was part of a tradition now, and he had to admit it felt good.

He shook his head and jogged up to catch up with Jiraiya's pace.

"So where are we going anyway?"

"Up there," he replied as he pointed up towards the Hokage monument.

"What's up there?" he asked as he strained his back looking up the Sandaime's nose.

"At the top? Nothing really, but there is a little place about half a mile away from the village behind the mountain. That is where we are heading."

"What's so special about it?"

"You'll find out soon enough. Trust me, you are going to enjoy this place kid. You may even learn a thing or two about yourself in the process."

Naruto sent him a weird look, but shrugged and placed his hands behind his head as the mentor and future student headed off towards the incredibly long staircase up the monument.

* * *

 _30 Minutes Later_

"And here we are," Jiraiya announced as they finally arrived at the worn down, wooden shack far out behind the Hokage monument.

"Could use a fix up," Naruto muttered as he glanced at the faded wood.

"Maybe, but that's up to sensei to decide. The run down appearance only helps deter people from looking inside. Now come on."

Jiraiya swing the door open to the tiny shack, and Naruto felt chills as the air rushed past him

They made their way through the house, and Jiraiya bent down and snapped off a chunk of wood. He lit it with a light fire jutsu before handing it to Naruto. He thanked him as the older man lit his own torch, and led him further into the building. As they walked through the destroyed building, Naruto could not help but feel a feeling of familiarity with the place.

They arrived at the back of the house to find an empty room.

"End of the line," Naruto muttered. Jiraiya ignored him as he walked across the room towards the wall and motioned him to join him.

"Give me your hand," he muttered as he took out a kunai.

"Why?" Naruto muttered as he cautiously reached out his arm. He trusted Jiraiya enough to know he wouldn't ask him unless he had a good reason.

"I need a drop of your blood for this," he said as he positioned the kunai above the boy's open palm.

"Are you ready?"

Naruto was grateful for the heads up and closed his eyes. "Ready."

He hissed at the stinging as the kunai sliced into his hand. Jiraiya handed him a roll of bandages as he returned his attention back to the wall. He wiped his hand along the blade, smearing it in blood, and began writing intricate kanji along the wall.

Naruto was fascinated as he slowly bandaged his hand. After a final stroke of his fingers, Jiraiya turned to him.

"Form the symbol for rat, and concentrate your chakra onto the symbol."

Naruto was confused, but did as he was told. Instantly the blood staining the wall glowed green. The wall seemed to fade away as a set of stairs were revealed behind it.

"What was that?" Naruto asked as he followed him down the stairs.

"Intricate blood seal. It's not enough for the blood of a relative to simply be used in designing the release seal. A family member actually has to be the one to release it as well."

Naruto stopped dead in his tracks as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Wh-what do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said," Jiraiya whispered as he dipped his torch into the two urns set near the doorway. They illuminated the room, revealing the wall covered in masks on the other side.

"Welcome to the Uzumaki Clan Temple," Jiraiya said as he stepped forward to inspect the masks.

Naruto was overcome with emotion as he tried to process what the old man was saying. He was part of a clan? They had a temple?

He glanced at the wall behind the masks and noted the swirl design painted overhead. He had seen that symbol everyday on the uniforms of every chunin and above within Konoha.

"W-what does that symbol mean?" he muttered as he slowly stepped up next to Jiraiya.

"That's your clan symbol kid."

"But what does that mean? I have a clan?"

Jiraiya sighed as he motioned him to sit down across from him. He took their two torches and placed them within the urns at the entrance before sitting back down.

"Where to start? I'm sure you have multiple questions regarding the Uzumaki clan. Unfortunately, we don't have all day, and to be honest I don't know the full history of it, so I'll have to give you condensed version."

Naruto waited with batted breath as he gave Jiraiya his undivided attention.

"Along with the Uchiha and Senju, the Uzumakis were just as influential with the development of the village. In fact, the first Hokage was married to one. They were world-renowned fuinjutsu experts that originated from Whirlpool Country. They were blessed with ridiculous chakra reserves and had incredibly long life spans. To their enemies, they were feared as much as they were respected."

Naruto was silent as he digested this information. "Why haven't I heard about them before?"

"You can thank the Nidaime for that," Jiraiya said as he crossed his arms, "Due to a number of factors, he decided that it would be better if the Uzumakis were removed from certain history lectures regarding the village. However, he didn't just want to toss them under the rug either. He was the one who made it a policy to have the Uzumaki symbol etched into the back of all Konoha uniforms. Through that, their legacy and influence in the village would live on forever."

"What could possibly be reason enough to justify that?"

Jiraiya simply pointed at the boy's stomach. "For generations, the Uzumaki have provided perfect containers for the Kyuubi jinchuuriki. Remember the Shodaime's wife? She was the first ever jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi."

Naruto was silent as he stared at the ground. "What happened to them?"

Jiraiya sighed as he continued, "They were wiped out. They were such a threat that multiple hidden villages teamed up to eradicate them before they could be used against them. Their knowledge and aptitude for fuinjutsu was too much of an advantage for Konoha to have, especially in the times of using the tailed beasts for war."

Naruto was silent as tears silently dripped down his face. He had always feared it, but now he was being slapped with the truth. He really was the last of his family.

He jerked when he felt Jiraiya's hand on his shoulder. "Now, it's not the end of the world. You're still here to carry on their legacy, and there were plenty of Uzumaki scattered across the world, when they were attacked. I've actually met a few myself. One day, I'll try to track a few down and introduce you."

He was surprised, when the blonde raced across the ground and buried himself in the man's chest. He chuckled as he rubbed the younger boy's back as he shook against his chest.

"Now, I better not find any snot on my shirt, when you get off. This stuff is expensive you know!"

Naruto chuckled as he slowly released himself from the older gentleman.

"Sorry about that," he sniffed as he wiped his nose.

"Think nothing of it."

Naruto startled chuckling as he wiped away at his eyes.

"It's funny," he muttered, "here I get my chance to really impress a seal master, and I go ahead and botch it by bawling my eyes out."

"Take it from a guy, who's been through two wars, and a hell of a lot of suffering. There is no shame in letting loose a few tears. It's letting yourself get drowned in sadness that is really shameful. You get knocked down; you get back up and keep pushing ahead. That's been my policy."

"Looks like we share something in common," Naruto said as he flashed him a grin.

' _More than you know kid,_ ' he thought as he returned the grin.

Naruto glanced up at the masks hanging from the wall and asked, "So what's up with the creepy-ass masks?"

Jiraiya grinned and stood back up. "They are part of why we are here today. Sensei has been keeping me in touch with your progress, and I got to say I'm impressed. Barely a teenager, and you're already on the advanced sets. Which book are you on by the way?"

"Book five," Naruto responded proudly, "I've been using shadow clones to help breeze through the material."

"Very clever," Jiraiya responded, "In any case, I decided to help you out along your C-rank quota by renting you out to help me with some errands and pass along a few fuinjutsu tricks to you."

"Yatta!" Naruto screeched as his determination burned in his eyes, "So what's first?"

"That's the attitude I like to see. You've actually already started. That blood seal back there? I couldn't gain access to this place without you, which leads us back to your question of what we are doing about these masks."

He returned his attention back to the different designs that cluttered the wall. "Are you aware of the technique used to seal the Kyuubi inside of you?"

Naruto was surprised and placed his hand on his stomach. "Not really."

Jiraiya face took on a grim look. "Well, there is a reason it is considered forbidden. It is called the Reaper Death Seal, and no, I am never going to tell you how to do it," he cut him off before the blonde could ask the question.

"Honestly, I don't think anyone should ever use that jutsu," he muttered as he glanced from one mask to another.

"Why is that?" Naruto asked as he too inspected the masks.

"The jutsu involves literally calling down the Shinigami to bind a contract."

Naruto jumped away from him. "WHAT! REALLY?"

"Yup. He creates the most powerful binding contract that can possibly be produced. In return for his assistance, he takes the souls of those he binds within the jutsu and the caster, and traps them within his stomach for all eternity."

Naruto could only stare in astonishment. "Who would even create a jutsu like that?"

"Why don't you look around and venture a guess," Jiraiya remarked.

"The Uzumaki!"

"Bingo kid. Like I said, they were light-years ahead of what other nations could even dream of doing. You want to know the scary part? That was just one of jutsu they created. Who know how many others of equal strength they have hidden away?"

"Where would that be?"

"They had shrines and temples hidden all across the elemental nations, but their main base was in Whirpool country. Once you're a little older and applying for your pilgrimage, we may swing by their old capital and see what we can find. I've always been curios what secrets they had locked up in there."

The prospect excited Naruto and only motivated him to get through the advanced set even sooner.

"Anyways, we are getting off topic. The Yondaime knew he was in a tough pinch, and decided the best way to guarantee sealing the Kyuubi inside you would be to use the Reaper Death Seal."

The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. "But wait! That means-"

"Yeah. The Yondaime right now is trapped inside the Shinigami's stomach, where he'll stay for all eternity."

Naruto was overwhelmed as it felt like he was loosing his hero all over again. He just didn't deserve that kind of fate, especially after sacrificing himself for the village.

"Unless, we set him free."

Naruto stared at Jiraiya wide-eyed, who met his gaze.

"Ever since I found out which seal, my idiotic student used on you. I've done everything I can to look into a way to set him free from that eternal pit of war and hell. My investigations have lead me here to this shack and these masks."

"What are they?" Naruto asked.

"Exactly what they seem: masks. However, if someone were to put on the correct one, they would be able to release the souls trapped within the Shinigami's stomach."

"And if they choose the wrong one?" Naruto asked cautiously.

"They get a one way ticket to the world of the dammed, free of charge."

"So how do we know, which is the real one?"

"We don't. Only the current head of the Uzumaki clan at the time was ever allowed to know that information."

"Great. So were doomed before we even begin."

"Not necessarily. I do believe I know an individual, who knows which of these masks is the correct one, but he's not exactly the sharing type. The only way we are going to find out which is the correct mask is by going through the records of one of his bases."

"Well, why don't we?"

"Cause he's a missing nin who has been responsible for the deaths of over 4,000 people personally and 17,000 internationally in the last 20 years. Plus, we have no idea where he is."

Naruto could only gawk and sputter at the man. "That's crazy! Surely you're kidding?"

"Deathly serious. That is a gambit which is going to take some real finesse and a lot of work to get done, but," he smiled as he glanced down at his new student, "it will be worth the wait, if it is successful."

Naruto returned the smile. He had a new mission to add on to his already long list of promises for the future. Help Nee-chan with her problem, help Haku fight in Kiri, become the Hokage (obviously), and free the soul of his long time hero.

"Alright, now lets get to work," Jiraiya said as he reached into his bag and pulled out several packets of paper.

"We are going to copy each and every design of the masks and note their location among the rest. The bottom left corner will act as the origin. We'll split them down the middle. Put that handwriting fuinjutsu forced you to have to good use, and make sure draw those masks as detailed as possible."

Naruto nodded, and the two of them got to work. The only sound in the room as the scratching of parchment and crackle of the flames lighting up the room.

For forty-five long minutes, the two of them cracked down until ever mask was drawn, detailed, and sealed away inside Jiraiya's scroll.

"Alright. Now let's get some fresh air. I think I've had my fill of stuffy basement for the day," Jiraiya said as he headed towards the exit. Before he left, Naruto gave one last look around the secret room before he followed the man upstairs.

They left the rotting cabin and began heading back towards the village. As they entered a small clearing, Jiraiya called for them to stop.

"Now then, this is as perfect a place as any. Let's talk fuinjutsu."

He motioned at Naruto and they both sat on the ground again. Jiraiya removed the scroll on his back and set it next to him.

"I want you to describe to me what you think fuinjutsu is."

Naruto straightened his back as he responded, "Fuinjutsu is the art of sealing away objects, living beings, chakra, and a variety of other things within another object."

"Spoken right out of the textbook," Jiraiya smirked as he set a piece a paper in front of him along with a bottle of ink and a brush, "But I have a feeling that definition doesn't sit well with you."

Naruto nodded as he stared at the man.

"While technically, yes, fuinjutsu does all those things, that is just the simplified version the writers place in textbooks so that it is easier for the students to comprehend. As I'm sure you noticed, they can do so much more than store away items. Kakashi has told me you are particularly fond of gravity seals."

Naruto smiled as he continued, "Fuinjutsu isn't just a written agreement to store objects away. I see it as more of a written contract with the universe at large. When the kanji are infused with chakra, they cease being just ink on a page and transcend into something more. No matter who you are, each kanji serves the same purpose and does the same thing. It is the order of kanji and how they are stacked on top of each other that allows fuinjutsu to bend the normal laws of physics as we know them."

He glanced up and shot Naruto a glance. "Your gravity seals are a perfect examples of this. They allow you to control the scale of the gravitational force without any consequence without altering the amount of mass in the subject."

"Your Hiraishin is another perfect example, and yes, I do know about it," he responded as Naruto's mouth opened to ask the question. "The moment you cracked the formula, sensei sent me a letter. I'm really impressed you managed to get it to work. I could never get the thing down. So, have you gotten over your little problem using the jutsu yet?"

Naruto's eyes lit up as his memory in Wave crashed back to him. In the spur of the moment to stop Gatou, he had ignored the fact that he had used the Hiraishin without any negative consequences. He had been trying to bury the whole event within his mind, since his ruthlessness disturbed him quit a bit. He hadn't just been brutal to Gatou; he had destroyed him, in the proper use of the word. There was nothing left of his head after he had released his jutsu. It disturbed him that he had the capacity to do that to another human being.

He shook the thoughts as he jumped to his feet. "Oh yeah! I managed to use it in Wave without any side effects! I finally did it!"

"Good. Let's see it."

Naruto smirked and flipped out one of the tri-pronged kunai Jiraiay had seen a hundred times before. He tossed and embedded it into the bark of a tree, before disappearing in a flash of light.

Even though he was expecting it, he couldn't help but be surprised by the familiar flash of yellow light. The kid had truly done it.

Naruto flashed him a look of triumph, before it morphed to horror. He bent over as he began to throw up the contents of his breakfast and an alarming amount of blood.

"Naruto!" Jiraiya called as he was instantly at the boy's side.

"Oh, that did not feel good," he muttered as Jiriaya eased him away from the pile of vomit and settled him down against another tree.

"I don't get it," Naruto muttered as he wiped his mouth with his sleeve, "I did it before. Why can't I do it again?"

Jiraiya was silent as he studied the blonde. He had seen this exact same reaction from Minato, when he had first attempted the jutsu, but the symptoms had been much, much worse. For once, his peeping tendencies paid off, for Tsunade had been chasing him down all day for taking one glance into the bathhouses. How was he supposed to know Shizune would be in there that day? Thankfully, she ignored his impending beat down and focused on healing Minato's injuries. He had several lacerations across his chest and naval region, and severe cases of internal bleeding. Minato never told him, what the issues were, but the next time he attempted the jutsu, it went off without a hitch.

"I have a couple ideas. For now, let's call it a day and meet back at training ground seven tomorrow."

"No! Sensei I can push past it. We were just getting to the good part. Don't end it now!"

He was just so eager to learn and prove himself, that Jiraiya couldn't help but chuckle.

"Relax kid. You got me for the next few days, until Kakashi returns. I have some plans laid out for us, but we have plenty of free time to go over the intricacies of fuijutsu."

Naruto wanted to argue, but hung his head in defeat.

"Cheer up. I think I might have a way to help fix your problem."

Naruto shot up at that and gave him his undivided attention.

"It is going to require some major paperwork and persuasion, but I'm sure sensei would let me take a gander at the forbidden scroll, especially for this."

"What's in there that could help us?"

"The Nidaime's original notes on the jutsu. He was the one that designed the seal, but the Yondaime was the one who perfected it. I think his original seal formula should help us."

Naruto seemed embarrassed as he lifted the sleeved of his left arm and revealed a small storage seal on his left shoulder.

He pressed his chakra into the marking and a medium sized blue scroll materialized from the seal. He blushed heavily as he handed it to Jiraiya.

Jiraiya seemed confused as he opened it and begun reading over it. His eyes widened and he shot Naruto a glare when he realized what it was.

"Would you care to explain how you have this in your possession?"

"Did jiji happen to tell you how I managed to pass the genin exam?"

"You mean how you were foolishly tricked by that traitor of a teacher. Yes, he informed me."

Naruto squirmed under his gaze as he shuffled his feet. "I may have copied one or more things other than the kage bunshin as I was looking it over."

Jiraiya sent him a scowl as he continued looking over the scroll. Sure enough, it was a perfect copy of all of the Nidaime's notes on the Hiraishin. Including his original seal formula.

"Now does the Hokage now that you have this?" Jiraiya asked, although he already knew the answer.

"…No. I just saw the formula and it reminded me of the Hiraishin. I had limited time, so I just decided to copy it for later. I was going to tell him eventually…after I completed the jutsu," he nearly whispered the last of his response.

Jiraiya sighed as he rolled up the scroll. "I don't think I need to say how dangerous it would be if this fell into the wrong hands. And you thought it would be best to keep it on your body?"

"Better then keeping it under the floorboards in my room," Naruto murmured.

"Now that's fair enough. Well, I suppose I should be reprimanding you for it, but I'm more of a go-with-the-flow kind of guy. What's done is done, and you know why you shouldn't have done it. For now, I say we should use this to get ahead with the Hiraishin."

"Can we please start now? I'm already doing better, see?"

Indeed, the boy did seem to be back to his upbeat, energetic self. Whatever had been troubling Minato clearly wasn't affecting him the same way.

"Alright, fine, but if I say we stop, we stop. Agreed?"

"Agreed!" Naruto chimed.

"Good. Now tell me what differences you've found between the two."

"Besides the shape, most of the formula is the same. There are bits and pieces that are different, but the only major difference is segments that deal with identifying the user."

"Have you ever tried performing the technique with the Nidaime's version of the seal?"

"Uuuugh…" was all the response he needed.

He sighed as he motioned towards the ink and paper he had set on the ground. "Let's see what you can do kid. I want you to copy down the Nidaime's version onto the paper. Once it's done, I'll have you test it out and we'll go from there."

"You got it! I won't disappoint you!" Naruto said with a salute as he got to work on the ground. Jiraiya chuckled as he stared back at the pile of vomit and blood that was already attracting flies.

Oh, he had a few ideas for what were causing this all right. He just hoped they weren't as severe as he thought.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Next chapter, the answer to the most frequent question in the series will be revealed! What is the problem with Naruto's hiraishin?**

 **I had originally planned this reveal for the time-skip, but it just seemed so natural to include it here. To be honest, revealing it now only helps me with certain plot points down the road. The only downside is that it will cut into the training during the time skip, but trust me, there is plenty there for you to enjoy. Leave a review and stay tuned for more!**

 **I hope you guys liked my first chapters with Jiraiya. He is always introduced in comedic fashion in fanfics, so I decided to explore more of his serious side.**

 **Two chapters in one night? I hope you guys enjoy the treat. Happy Halloween!**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To Vatican)**

 **As of right now, I'm not planning on incorporating any of the movies into the story. This is simply because I don't know them well enough to really use them. I know the Land of Snow movie the most, but I really haven't watched most of the others. I mean, I've seen Blood Prison, the puppet one with Minato, Road to Ninja, and The Last, but that is about it. If I were to do any of them, it would be Land of Snow, but as of right now, there aren't any plans for them. Sorry if that is disappointing.**

 **(To ND99Sama)**

 **I agree. That is why things have been toned back. We need a little break before all hell breaks loose in the chunin exams. I'll look into finding a beta. If you have any specifically in mind, send me a PM.**


	28. Chapter 28 - Solving the Hiraishin

Chapter 28: Solving the Hiraishin

 ***Note: Some of you may have missed that I uploaded 2 chapters on Sunday as a special treat for Halloween. In case you missed it, I'd recommend going back to read Chapter 27.**

 _"_ _If you wouldn't mind sensei, I was hoping we could pick up the pace towards the village."_

 _"_ _Oh? What's the rush Hiashi?"_

 _"_ _I wish to return to the clan compound as quickly as possible. My Kaiten still needs some work, and I want to ask Hizashi to spar with me, before he heads out with his own team."_

 _"_ _Oh please," the girl in the middle scoffed, "You just want to get back so you can spy on Hitomi practicing in the gardens again."_

 _The normally reserved boy lost all composure as his face turned beet red, and he began nervously tapping his fingers together._

 _"_ _I-I-I d-don't know what you're talking about," he muttered._

 _Mikoto smirked and poked him in the forehead._

 _"_ _You can't fool me pretty boy. You got the hots for that bluenette, and you know it."_

 _"_ _T-That's not true!" he adamantly denied as he shook his head; however, his burning blush seemed to counter his claims._

 _Mikoto closed her eyes and held her wrist to her forehead in a mocking gesture._

 _"_ _Hitomi-_ _ **chan**_ _really is elegant when she trains, isn't she Hiashi? It's almost like she's dancing as she weaves across the water. The way she bends her body, all while she's drenching wet. Her clothes just sticking to her figure..."_

 _"_ _Stop! Stop!" the boy flustered as images raced through his mind, and he clamped his hands over his ears._

 _Mikoto erupted in laughter at the Hyuuga heir. It was just too easy. All she had to do was mention her name, and the pale boy would become paralyzed with embarrassment._

 _"_ _Kidding aside, you really need to just talk to her, Hiashi. Who knows? If you take too long, someone else may come along and snatch her up."_

 _"_ _I…I can't," he murmured as he twiddled his thumbs._

 _Mikoto sadly smiled at his shy behavior, before grinning wildly and wrapping her arm across his shoulder. "That's okay, Hiashi-kun. I'll just do it for you!"_

 _"_ _What! NOOOO! Don't please!"_

 _Their sensei and blonde teammate snickered as they watched the boy's frantic response._

 _"_ _M-Minato! S-stop laughing! Don't you dare tell her either!" Hiashi barked as he noticed his other teammate._

 _"_ _I'm sorry Hiashi. I just can't help it. But Mikoto-chan is right. You should just go up and talk to her. You never know what may happen."_

 _"_ _You're just agreeing with her 'cause she's best friends with Kushina!" he rebuked as he pointed an accusing finger at him_

 _Minato calmly shook his head. "Not true. I don't need to score brownie points with Mikoto-chan. Besides, I'll call her out if I don't agree with something she says or if she does something stupid."_

 _Mikoto sent him a short glare for his last comment, before flashing Hiashi a smug smirk._

 _Minato's lip twitched. He just couldn't help himself. "Like how she stalked Kushina's teammate, Fugaku, for three hours last Thursday."_

 _Mikoto stopped dead in her tracks and locked up. The lightest blush crept to her face, and Hiashi grinned with glee._

 _"_ _Oh ho! I never thought I'd see the day. Little Mikoto-chan finally interested in boys, I was beginning to worry you'd never grow out of your tomboyish stage! Now, why haven't we heard about this strapping, young lad before?" Jiraiya teased as he and the boys came to a stop._

 _Minato didn't flinch as Mikoto shot him an icy glare. He stood his ground and stared right back into her flaring sharingan. Her red eyes were almost enchanting as the two tombs raced around her pupil_

 _"_ _Who told you that? Even Kushina doesn't know."_

 _"_ _Really? I'm surprised. You two share everything." He smiled as he leaned in towards her face, "Well, I better go tell her then." With that, he shot off down the dirt road._

 _"_ _MINATO! DON'T YOU DARE!" she roared as she raced after him._

 _Jiraiya chuckled and Hiashi roared with laughter at the sight of the Uchiha heir trying as hard as she could to keep up with her teammate's prodigal speed._

 _"_ _Sensei, remind me to thank Minato. That was brilliant! I finally have something to hold over her head!"_

 _"_ _No problem," Jiraiya smirked, "but I'm also very curious about this Hitomi-chan. She sounds rather cute. You haven't sneaked a peak with your byakugan, have you?"_

 _Hiashi's blush returned full force, and he shouted, "H-Hey guys! W-Wait for me!"_

 _Jiraiya chuckled as the cloud of dust raced away from him, and continued at his leisurely pace back towards the village. It was the small moments like this that made being a sensei again really worth it._

 _The playful squabbling. The joy of innocence. It was certainly relaxing._

 _He smiled and closed his eyes as he took in the warmth of the summer sun. These were the moments he loved the most._

"All finished!" a voice called out.

Jiraiya dispelled his daydream and shot one eye at the blonde boy sitting a few feet away from him. He glanced up at the sun and was slightly surprised. It had barely been half an hour.

Jiraiya let out a yawn as he stood up and stretched. After cracking his neck, he walked over to inspect the boy's hard work.

Naruto rubbed at the callus forming on his finger from gripping the brush too hard, as he anxiously waited for the man's response. This was his big chance to impress an actual seal master, and he really wanted to make it count.

Jiraiya was silent as he gazed over the design. He had to admit, the kid had talent. While he never fully understood the workings of the Hiraishin's design, he knew what should and shouldn't be present. The boy had used almost every square inch of parchment available on the scroll. It seemed more like the scrawling of a mad man, than an intricate cipher, but that was just the nature of the art.

Naruto shifted his feet as he waited for the man's response. Would he be impressed?

Finally, Jiraiya nodded and stared back at him. His heart rate picked up as Jiraiya smiled and said, "Not bad. Not bad at all."

Naruto perked up at the compliment and returned the smile.

"Now, let's see what you can do with it. Infuse the seal with chakra and minimize the design," Jiraiya ordered.

He simply nodded and retook his place back in front of the scroll. He ran through eight hand signs, before hovering his right palm above the wet ink.

"Recede," he whispered.

The ink flashed once before the letters raced across the page, weaving in and out of other lines of code; until, they settled into the familiar shape of the Nidaime's hiraishin seal. The bulk of the code rested within the circle of the design, and the rest, which regarded transmitting the signal to the user's mind, lay within the lines that arched out from the circle like spider legs.

"Nice job. Everything seems to match up with the Nidaime's notes, so I think you're good to go, give it a shot whenever you're ready."

Naruto nodded and picked up the scroll. He set out to the center of the field and placed it on the ground, before jogging back to Jiraiya's side.

He closed his eyes as he let his chakra spread out into the surrounding area. His perspective of the world shifted, as everything turned grayscale. He noted the familiar yellow glow emanating from the two kunai sitting in his pouch; however, he was surprised as he reached out to the Nidaime's design and was overcome by a completely different sensation.

Unlike the bright feeling of the others, this one felt darker and released a blue glow. It wasn't hostile, just foreign. It reminded him of a river cascading down the mountainside. Naruto hesitantly let his chakra reach out and take hold of the seal, and immediately something felt wrong.

Something just wasn't clicking into place as it did with the other seals. He could feel his chakra lingering in the activation code, but something seemed to be fighting him. He had a little experience of this when he used the Yondaime's seal, but never to this extent.

However, he could still tell he could force the jutsu if he tried. Something in his gut was telling him not to do it, but it would be a waste to come this far and not at least make an attempt. He squashed down the feeling, and forced his chakra through anyway, activating the seal.

Jiraiya noted that, this time, there was no flash as he disappeared. His expression of curiosity morphed into horror, as Naruto reappeared over the new seal followed by a spray of blood.

He kneeled over and coughed up more blood than he had ever before in his life. Shortly afterwards, his knees gave out and he face planted into the ground.

"Naruto!"

Jiraiya was by his side in an instant, and carefully flipped him onto his back. This was even worse than when Minato had tried it. Minato had dealt with internal bleeding, but Naruto had a gaping hole through his stomach and chest. Jiraiya paled as he could literally stare through the boy and see the blood stained grass on the other side.

"Shit" he muttered as he ran through hand signs.

You didn't serve on the same team as the world's leading expert in medical ninjutsu without picking up a thing or two. He was obviously nowhere near her level, but he would have to do for now. He couldn't move the boy to a hospital out of fear of dislodging what few organs remained in his body. Plus the boy would bleed out before he got there. So no matter what he decided to do, his first priorities were to stop the bleeding as best he could and keep the boy's heart pumping.

His hands were bathed in green chakra and he reached into the boy's chest. He was about to grab hold of his heart, when a ominous feeling washed over him. The tip of a dark marking, on what was left of his stomach, started glowing, before bubbling, orange chakra spread across his body. Jiraiya flinched and drew back his arm, as he was burned by the toxic chakra.

Jiraiya watched in fascination as organs regenerated right in front of his eyes. The bottom of his lungs grew back first, followed shortly by his digestive system. He could literally see the tissue and veins reconnecting throughout the body, as muscles grew back over the organs. A creaking sound came from his ribs, as they painfully rematerialized over his lungs. Naruto thrashed for several minutes, before the skin was finally sewn back together.

As he settled down, the familiar mark of the Kyuubi's seal glowed once more, before the orange chakra dissipated into the air.

Naruto's eyes shot open. He took in a violent gasp of air, before he began coughing up blood all over his face. Jiraiya flipped the boy over to prevent him from choking and rubbed his back. The blonde hacked up a storm as his body tried to dispel whatever blood and tissue was lingering within his system.

After several minutes, he finally stopped coughing, but continued to shiver as his hands tore into the dirt.

Jiraiya reached into his bag and pulled out a blood pill, and held it in front of his mouth.

"Chew it and swallow. You just lost a ridiculous amount of blood, and unless you want to go into shock, I'd recommend eating this."

Naruto weakly nodded and took the pill from his hand. He softly chewed the bitter pill, before swallowing it with a shudder. He panted as he finally tried to gather the energy to form words.

"That…really…sucked…"

Jiraiya let the boy take his time, as he helped him to his feet. He steadied him as he tried not to slip in the puddle of blood that had accumulated around him.

Jiraya half carried him over to the trees and eased him down, before leaning his back against the trunk.

"That…was so much worse… than any other time I've tried it," he panted as he weakly looked up at Jiraiya.

The man was silent as his mind raced over what he had seen.

No doubt about it. That had been the Kyuubi's chakra. Jiraiya had been out of the village during the Kyuubi attack and had never experienced it firsthand. After he had finally felt its presence in person, he could easily understand why some of the weaker minded villagers would be terrified by the boy's presence.

"Well? Are you just going to keep standing there… or tell me what the hell I did wrong?" the boy asked with a smirk.

Jiraiya couldn't help but chuckle. The kid just didn't know when to stay down. He knelt to one knee and pointed at his stomach.

"Kid, I don't think you fully comprehend how luck you are that you're a jinchuuriki. If it weren't for the fox's chakra, I'm not sure I would have been able to keep you alive if I tried to cart you off to a hospital."

"About dam time he was useful for something," he croaked.

"I wouldn't quite say that. In fact, if I'm right, he's been helping you for a long time now."

Naruto shot him a look with one eye. "The hell do you mean?"

"You've been using the Hiraishin for how long now? 4 years? And with every attempt, you've been blowing chunks afterwards correct?"

Naruto nodded as he rubbed his stomach. "Yeah. What's your point?"

"The fox has been saving your ass from death for years now. If I'm correct, and I'm almost certain I am, I know what the problem is, and how you're going to fix it."

"Stop building up the drama already! Tell me! Tell me!" he cried out, before he curled over and entered another coughing fit.

"Easy," Jiraiya said as he placed his hand on his shoulder, "Your body is still reeling from that whole fiasco. You literally just regenerated over a third of your internal organs. They are going to be softer than before, and need time to develop until they are back to normal. You need some time to recover, and let your lungs work out any lingering blood."

"I'll recover later. This is way more important."

Jiraiya chuckled as he sat down next to him. "You've got fire kid, I'll give you that. Alright, you want the explanation? Well, here it goes. Simply put, the seal backfired on you."

Naruto was silent as guilt crept into his voice. "B-But I copied it straight from the scroll! Did I make some mistake?"

"No, no. You copied it perfectly. However, the problem isn't with the design of the scroll, it's with you."

The words felt like a slap to the face. After all this time and efforts, he was still doing something wrong. He had always presumed as much, but hearing it from someone else made it feel worse.

"W-what do you mean?"

"Let's start from the beginning. Remember when I told you how something similar happened to the Yondaime after he first attempted the jutsu?"

"Yeah."

"Well afterwards, he went back and poured over the formula for months. The next time he showed it to me, I was surprised he had changed it into a different shape. For years, I've always figured he had made some mistake in copying the original formula and later modified it to suit his needs, but now I see he completely rewrote it all together. Hand me one of your kunai."

Naruto shifted his position against the tree, and grunted as he reached into his pouch. He pulled out one of the tri-pronged kunai and handed it to Jiraiya.

"Let's talk about how the jutsu works. When compared to the replacement jutsu, the Hiraishin is considered superior since it requires nothing in exchange and happens instantaneously. From what I can gather, it works by linking directly to the user's chakra, and transporting everything in contact with it to the designated marker. For it to keep hold of the person, it needs to anchor down on a certain point of the user's body."

He paused as he pointed at Naruto's stomach. "For most people, their largest center of chakra happens to reside in their stomach and naval regions. This goes especially for you, considering what you have sealed there."

"I thought chakra was created in the heart?"

"That's right, but that doesn't mean it's stored there. That would create a nasty build up of pressure that would eventually cause the heart to pop. Instead, the body stores chakra similarly to how it stores fat. It is spread in cavities all over the body, and the largest of these is located around the stomach."

Jiraiya paused as he pointed at the seal on the kunai. "The jutsu works by linking the user and the seal through the largest concentration of chakra."

As tired as Naruto was, he fought to stay alert. He had waited four years for this explanation, and he was not going to miss it due to a little exhaustion.

"Okay, but what does that have to do with the hole?"

"Getting there. Now, when the jutsu is activated, a tether is created between the largest concentration of chakra in the body and the seal. This anchor serves as the starting point of the jutsu, and connects to the body's chakra system before it activates. My guess is that when you force the jutsu to activate, there is an error causing the anchor to momentarily disconnect, which causes the area of your body that was connect to disappear into whatever void you cross when you use the technique. So, in summary, every time you have used the technique, a hole has been torn inside you. Thankfully, your Uzumaki lineage and the Kyuubi rapidly work to heal any damage left behind."

Jiraiya paused as he inspected the kunai in his hand. "Now, the reason this keeps happening is because the seal just wasn't designed with someone like you in mind."

Naruto felt his heart break as his mind instantly made a connection. Of course it was because of the Kyuubi. It just had to go out of its way to torment his life. It was just his luck that he wouldn't be able to achieve his goal, just because of the stupid fox's presence.

"So it really is the fox's fault…" he murmured.

"I didn't say that. It actually has nothing to do with the fox."

Naruto snapped his head up. "I thought you just said it wasn't designed with a jinchuuriki in mind."

"Those weren't my words. I said it wasn't designed with 'you' in mind. Simply put, I believe each hiraishin symbol is coded to work with only their creator's chakra specifically."

Realization flooded through Naruto as everything started to fall into place.

"So your saying it's just not built to work for anyone else."

"That's right. The reason why you and the Yondaime reacted so horribly to using the original design was because the Nidaime had coded it to his specific chakra signature. We both know how specific seals have to be to work perfectly. If anything is different other than as intended, it can lead to some nasty side affects. The Yondaime must have figured this out, and created his own version of the technique that would work with his own chakra network."

As Naruto tossed this information around, a new thought struck Jiraiya, causing him to chuckle before bursting out laughing.

' _Oh, Minato! You massive dork!'_

Naruto only deadpanned at the man's sudden burst of hysterics.

"What's so funny?"

Jiraiya's smile stretched across his face, as he leaned in and said, "I hate to shatter the illusion for you kid, but the truth is: the Yondaime was a giant nerd."

"Nooo…" Naruto gasped.

"Oh, big-time. He was even more of a bookworm than you are, and he spread his interests far outside of just fuinjutsu. He got worse as he grew older. It was rare that you would ever find him without his face buried in a book. He was also a massive lover of fantasy. Speaking of which, he also had a flash for the theatrics, no pun intended. I just realized that the Nidaime's version of the jutsu didn't include the yellow flash of light, which means Minato must have added it in when he created the jutsu to try and look cooler."

Jiraiya laughed again as Naruto covered his ears. "Stop it. You're ruining my childhood."

"You think that's bad? You should have heard some of the names he came up with for techniques. I think my personal favorite was the Spiraling Flash Super Round Dance Howl Style Three."

"Y-You're making that up!"

"Wanna bet? That was just one of the shorter ones. I have pages of these things written down somewhere."

Naruto was mortified as shining image of his hero in his mind was now replaced with a blonde man with giant glasses waiving at him behind a book.

'NOOO! Dam you Jiraiya-sensei! Why did you have to ruin that for me?"

After settling down, he returned his thoughts to the sudden burst of information. Finally, he knew what the problem was. He wasn't performing the jutsu incorrectly. It was that the seal just wasn't designed for his chakra.

"Wait. If they both aren't made to work with my chakra signature, how come the Nidaime's caused a more violent reaction than the Yondaime's?"

"Who knows? It could be anything from the Yondaime's version just being more compatible by nature or that you have a similar chakra signature to him."

Naruto seemed to accept this answer, and Jiraiya let out an inner sigh of relief. Honestly, it was very close to the second option. Even though they were father and son, their chakra signatures were not quite the same. They were certainly close, but apparently not enough to satisfy the seal's layout. If it weren't for their familial connection, the seal would have reacted just as badly as the Nidaime's had. While the malfunction was much less severe with Minato's design, Naruto would never be able to utilize the technique to its true potential while using his father's seal.

As if reading his mind, Naruto muttered, "So basically, I have to create my own version of the Hiraishin if I want to use it as effectively as he did."

"Bingo."

Naruto let out a smile and started to get back up.

"Woah, woah. What do you think you're doing?"

"What do you think? Let's get started now!" he exclaimed, right as he lost his balance and leaned against the trunk.

"Kid, that is not just something you finish overnight. Hell, you'd be lucky to get it done within 5 months at the minimum. This isn't just as simple as restructuring a seal to fit your needs. You'd be building it from the ground up, and that involves planning out a new shape and structures, which kanji to keep and change, and even which stroke size to get it correct."

Naruto shot him a weak smile as he pushed off the tree and wobbled on his feet.

"Then let's stop wasting time."

Jiraiya snorted as he reached his fingers out and tapped the boy in the forehead. His eyes drooped and sleep finally enveloped him as fell backwards. Jiraiya gently caught him and slung him over his shoulders. He was a little upset about the blood and vomit seeping into his shirt, but he bore through it.

"I think that is enough action for one day," he chuckled as he hoisted himself up. It had certainly been productive. Sure the boy had nearly died (certainly wasn't going to mention that to sensei), but he would bounce back better from the experience. For years now, he could never solve what the problem was. Now that he was aware, Jiraiya was sure he would pour his heart and soul into the project until it was complete.

He then began the hike back towards the village. The sun was setting by the time he reached the Hokage monument. As he stood on top of the stone heads, he took a minute to admire the village bathed in the orange light of the setting sun.

He felt the younger boy snuggle into his back and shot him a smile.

He certainly wouldn't be thanking him if he knew where he was taking him. If he was anything like his mother, he despised hospitals.

With a soft chuckle, he began the long trek down the stone staircase to the village. He would need his rest, for they were far from done. Jiraiya had rented him out for only a few more days, before he had to hand him back to Kakashi.

It would be a couple more weeks after that before he could spend time with his godson again. As fun as this time was, he had his own missions to do. Sensei had all but ordered him to return early, and he would eventually need him to crack down and get to work.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **AT LAST! The moment we've all been waiting for! The image manager finally decided to work, and I was able to upload the cover for the series! Hope you guys enjoy it.**

 **…** **Oh yeah, you guys also found out the answer to the most commonly asked question of the series. Nothing major.**

 **Well, we are finally here: Why does the Hiraishin keep fucking him up? Probably has something to do with the hole it literally rips in his stomach. For this story, each version of the Hiraishin is keyed to a designated user's chakra in their design. Seals are temperamental, and if anything doesn't quite line up the exact way it should, you can see the possible results. The reason Naruto has less of a reaction while using Minato's design is because they're family. Their chakra is similar, but not enough to click perfectly. Think of it like trying to use different keys for the same keyhole. A similarly shaped key can slide through the keyhole with a little force, but only one can make it turn perfectly.**

 **The reason he is able to keep using it is because his Uzumaki blood and Kyuubi's healing factor kept repairing any damage it inflicted.**

 **BTW, Naruto is calling him Jiraiya-sensei since he hasn't really discovered his perverted side yet.**

 **Make sure to leave a comment, and tell me what you thought of the reveal. Was it satisfying? Was it a let down? Share your thoughts.**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To crono3553)**

 **I KNOW RIGHT! It doesn't make any god dam sense. Orochimaru abducted, tortured, and experimented on hundreds of people within his underground labs, yet he just got to walk away with no punishment! I can't talk about how he reaches his ultimate fate, but I think that you can tell by that tiny rant that how he'll end up.**

 **(To kamui5)**

 **Someday they will find out, but not today. Naruto isn't quite ready for that talk yet.**

 **(To MothfoxUK)**

 **As I've stated before, they will not be using gravity seals for training. I find that trope way too common in fan fictions, and I believe it forces the writer into a corner. Fights become repetitive because they all turn into: "Man! He's too fast for me! Better undo my seals!" then proceed to out speed the opponent. It was awesome with Lee's original reveal, but the shock value wears off very quickly.**

 **(To cbusch800)**

 **Let me know if your guess to the problem with the Hiraishin was correct. I always enjoy hearing what people theorized about certain plotlines, and finding out if their guesses were correct.**

 **I double-checked, and the hints are certainly there. Good luck with hunting, and make sure to send me a PM or review if you ever think you figure it out. That goes for everyone else too. I've realized that it will be a looong time before the title is actually name dropped, so I'm happy to help point you in the right direction.**


	29. Chapter 29 - Promise

***Note: Hey guys. Sorry for the slow week, but I have come down with something awful over the past few days. I've felt really lousy, but I am getting better. Despite this, I'll try to get one or two chapters out this weekend, but I apologize if they aren't up to the standard. I want to keep my promise by getting out a chapter every weekend.**

Chapter 29 – Promise

"I got it!" the young boy cried as he raced towards the door.

"Tai! Wait for me to see who it is," a voice called from the kitchen.

Ignoring his sister's warnings, he tore open the door and smiled at the masked man before him.

"Whoa! Hello again ANBU-san!" he greeted with a smile.

Kitsune nodded at the young boy's enthusiastic greeting and glanced behind him. "Is your sister here by chance?"

"Right here," a voice called from down the hallway. Ria came around the corner wiping her hands on her apron as she approached the door to her apartment.

"Can I help you Kitsune-san?" she asked as she placed a protective hand on her brother's shoulder.

"I just came by to update you on our last discussion," he said while glancing at the young boy.

Ria's eyes widened, as she understood. "Tai, why don't you go watch some TV in our room? I'll call you once dinner is ready."

"But why? I want to talk with the shinobi guy!" he pouted as he crossed his arms.

"Trust me, you'll only find it boring," she said as she ruffled his hair. "We're just talking about where you'll be starting school next year."

"You mean it? Does that mean I get to go to the academy?"

Her eyes flashed, but she held her tongue and said, "Maybe. We'll talk about it later."

Ignorant of his sister's reaction, he waved at Kitsune before heading back down the hallway and entering the room he shared with his sister.

"You know, it wouldn't be a bad idea to consider it," Kitsune said before she shot him a glare.

"Over my dead body! He is never going anywhere near that school! I will not allow my brother to become a shinobi," she angrily whispered.

"He seems quite passionate about it."

"HE'S SIX! He's passionate about everything! Besides, he's too young to really understand what being a shinobi means!"

"I started even younger than that," he replied, "but that's not why I'm here. Is there anywhere we can continue this conversation in private?"

She angrily nodded and motioned him to follow her into the kitchen. She offered him a seat at the small table, as she placed the finishing touches to their dinner.

Kitsune had been here once before, and it was still just as run down as it had been before. It was a small, cheap apartment with only four rooms: a tiny living room conjoined with the kitchen, a single bathroom, and a bedroom, which the siblings were forced to share. It wasn't the nicest apartment, but they certainly could do with far worse.

After placing a lid on the boiling pot, she washed her hands and sat down at the table.

"Now what did you find out?"

"I traced along the path you described and came across the wreckage of the caravan. Just as you feared, you and your family were seemingly targeted by a group of shinobi."

She clenched her fists as she stared at her lap. "Where were they from?"

"Iwa, it appears," he replied, "Do you have any idea why they would target you?"

She was quiet as she rubbed her head. "No, my family were simple traders. I really don't remember much of my early childhood. There's the occasional flash of mom and dad, but most of it is just blank."

Kitsune was quietly processed this. She still adamantly seemed to believe her family had been traders. Perhaps her mother had taken up the craft while she was off duty with the children?

"Did you find anything regarding my older brother?"

Kitsune simply stared back at her, unresponsive. The Hokage had been explicit. Until they held all of the information, the children were to be kept on a need-to-know basis.

"No. From what I could tell, you two were split up during the final assault. Do you remember how you were separated?"

She shook her head. "Not really. Whenever I think back to it, all I can remember is a flash of red and then everything goes dark."

Kitsune became rigid at this comment. This confirmed his suspicions. It had been an Uchiha.

"After that, everything just goes fuzzy. The next thing I remember is being found by some Leaf shinobi and being escorted to the village."

He was silent as he digested this information. Just as he had feared, she seemed to be repressing most of the incident and her early life to consolidate the harsh reality of what she had seen. No one saw their mother being impaled and walked away from it unscathed.

"Ria, I know this may be hard to hear, but I believe it would be best if you were to seek psychological aid."

"The hell are you talking about?"

Kitsune ignored her blunt comment and continued, "As I was using my probe to look through your memories, I discovered the indicators that you are suffering from severe trauma. While you might not like to hear it, I believe you are repressing painful memories to save yourself from facing the reality of what happened."

She was quiet as he reached his hand across the table and grabbed her fist. "I saw what happened. That was a lot to take in for a child."

She clenched her teeth as she stared back at his mask, but did not pull away from him.

"I am not some helpless little girl."

"No, you most certainly are not. I have been very impressed how hard you have been working to support yourself and your brother, but you were still just a child. Your mind was much more fragile than it is now."

"Well, how do you expect me to pay for psychiatric sessions? I won't waste my money on something as trivial as that."

"Nor would I expect you to. Since it is part of an investigation, the village would be happy to cover the costs. I have an old connection with a Yamanaka named Inoichi. He is in charge of the information division of the village, and has several doctorates in psychology. I'm sure he would be happy to take some time out of his day to talk to you. I know it may seem like a sign of weakness seeing a psychologist, but the first step of tackling a problem is admitting there is one."

She was silent as her grip in his hand tightened.

"If you want to regain your memories and help us catch whoever was responsible, I truly think meeting with someone may be the best solution."

"I'll… I'll think about it."

"Good. That's all we can ask of you," he said as he released her hand.

"By the way," he said as he reached for his forearm, "I stumbled across something I think you will be happy to see again."

A tiny cloud of smoke erupted from his arm, and in his hand was a brown teddy bear.

Her eyes widened in recognition and a blush formed across her face, as he handed it to her.

"Where in the world did you find this? This can't be the same bear I had as a kid," she said in awe as she inspected the knitting and patchwork of the previously decrepit old toy.

"I found it sitting in the mud out in Rain country," he replied as he stood from the table, "I had to wash it a few dozen times, re-stuff it, and sew it back together, but make no mistake, that is yours."

She hid her excitement as she stuffed the small bear behind her back.

"Thank you…" she muttered as she glared at the ground.

"Don't mention it."

He knew from personal experience that even the tiniest strings to one's past could make a world of difference.

"Now, unless there is anything else, I have another appointment."

She shook her head and offered to lead him to the door. As he left her apartment, he turned and said, "A pleasure as always Ria-san. If you or your brother have any questions or concerns, simply ask the shinobi office for me, and I will be happy to assist you."

He gave her one last nod before he started dashing off towards the T&I Department.

He had a meeting to get to.

Ria watched the blonde ANBU race across the village, and slowly shut the door behind him. She brought out the stuffed bear from behind her back, and quietly stared back at the cracked glass eyes. She softly smiled as she rubbed her thumb across the worn material.

* * *

Nobody moved in the dark cell hidden beneath the village. The air was stale and dry, just like the stone walls that enclosed the room. Three men stood silently in the darkness as they stared at the sleeping form of the man bound in chains.

"We had to tranq him shortly before you arrived. He overheard one of the guards mention you were coming, and started thrashing wildly. He would have bit off his own tongue if he kept flailing like that," Ibiki commented breaking the silence.

"Not a very pleasant fellow is he?" Jiraiya mused as he knelt before the man.

"That's an understatement," Kitsune scoffed, "I've lost count of how many obscenities he shouts at me on a daily basis."

Jiraiya chuckled as he opened the prisoner's mouth and shined a flashlight down his throat. Sure enough, there was the seal right above his uvula.

"How fast does the seal react to a Yamanaka's presence"

"We haven't really done tests, but the moment a Yamanaka's jutsu attempts to enter his mind, the seal overrides the suppression tags on his chakra and forcefully activates his kekkai genkai. It doesn't matter if he's awake or asleep."

They remained silent, as Jiraiya continued to inspect the Zaofu's seal. Jiraiya whistled at the sight of the chain like patterns that wrapped around the triangular image.

"Hmm. Iwa's seal corps have been getting better," Jiraiya chuckled.

"How long do you think it will take for you to break?" Ibiki chimed in.

"Honestly, it depends," he responded as he reached into his bag. "If I were to sit down and completely focus on nothing but this, I could probably have this cracked within a week or two. However, I don't have that kind of time."

He carefully eased a piece of paper into the man's mouth and pressed it against the triangular seal. After a quick flash, he retracted his hand and stared down at the new image on the previously blank paper.

"I'll work on it in my free time. I'd give it to our blossoming new seal master to look over, but I think this is a little outside of his reach right now. Besides, he has his hands full as it is."

With their work done, the three men exited the dark cell, and made their way down the halls of the ANBU interrogation division.

"How was your conversation with the girl?" Jiraiya asked.

"As expected," Kitsune replied, "I recommended she speak with Inoichi, and she at least agreed to think it over."

"She still has no recollection of her past?" Ibiki asked.

"None. From our first conversation, she revealed she actually believes her family was simple traders. She has no idea where she came from or of her lineage."

"Good," Jiraiya mused, "Unless she remembers it herself, I'd like to keep it that way."

The last thing they needed was the girl thinking it would be better to run from the village and make a break for Iwa.

"Any luck on either of our mystery men?"

Kitsune shook his head. "Being limited to the village has impeded my progress. Once the chunin exams are over, I presume I'll have much more luck identifying our tattooed individual. I've combed over our last three versions of the bingo book, but I simply have not been able to find a trace of him. I intend to reach out to a contact in Kumo to see if he has any more information."

Ibiki nodded. "And what of the masked individual?"

"The Hokage has been silent on that matter," Kitsune growled, "He and Danzo know something, yet they have declined to share their information with me."

"I'm sure they have their reasons, but it doesn't sit well with me either," Jiraiya said with a frown. "Until they are willing to share, we are just going to have to solve this on our own. I've sent a message out to my contacts asking about the men. I'll let you two know if anything comes up."

The three of them nodded as they went their separate ways.

Jiraiya was silent as he exited the ANBU headquarters and made his way across the village. He ignored the bustling traffic and shouts of vendors as he headed towards the hospital.

 _'What are you hiding, old man?'_

* * *

A few hours later, Jiraiya was patiently sitting in training ground seven waiting for the blonde menace to arrive.

He had been discharged from the hospital earlier that morning. Despite his injuries from the previous day, he was already bouncing around and back to perfect health. The Kyuubi truly was a wonder.

Jiraiya couldn't say he had been surprised when he had entered Naruto's hospital room.

Paper covered in seals were strewn everywhere, across the IVs, the chairs, and even the windows. Naruto sat in his bed with his brush in his teeth, muttering under his breath. In his right hand, he twirled one of the Yondaime's kunai, and the other was placed under his chin as he stared down at his latest batch of notes.

"I don't think you get the idea of taking it easy do you?" Jiraiya asked as he made his way towards the bed.

Naruto simply nodded in his direction, never taking his eyes off of the paper in front of him. He continued to mutter as he made tiny notes here and there across the paper.

"What part of later did you not understand?" Jiraiya asked as he swiped the paper from his hands.

"Jiraiya-sensei! Give that back!" he cried as he flailed for the paper that was just out of reach.

Jiraiya simply held one finger to the boy's head as he glanced at the boy's notes. As expected, the boy was already starting to design the new layout for the Hiraishin.

"I need to get back to work! The sooner I redesign the seal, the sooner I can finally use the Hiraishin perfectly!"

"Work, work, work. Is that all you do kid?" Jiraiya had chuckled as he handed back the notes.

The blonde had ranted on and on about his dream or something, to the point where Jiraiya simply zoned out. Yadda, yadda – Hokage – yadda, yadda – seal master. He just didn't know when to stop.

He had told him to collect his stuff and meet him at the training ground in a few hours, and they would get back to work.

Speaking of which, just a minute before the set time, the blonde came bursting through the trees and stumbled into the clearing.

"I-I'm not late am I?" he sputtered as he clambered onto his hands and knees.

"No. Jeez kid, relax a little." Jiraiya chuckled.

Naruto let out a sigh of relief as he brushed himself off and made his way over to the toad sage.

"Sorry, but you don't understand what Kakashi-sensei does to us if we're late." He shuddered as their one terrifying experience came flashing back to him. He hadn't been able to walk properly for five days.

Jiraiya chuckled as he remembered the stories how harsh Kakashi used to be when he was in charge of ANBU. ' _I guess these kids finally gave him the wake up call he needed.'_

"Well, now that you're here, we can get back to business," he said as he took out a fresh piece of paper and placed it in front of them.

"So, where are we starting with the Hiraishin seal?" Naruto asked as he bounced around.

"We aren't," he replied causing Naruto to deflate. "I told you. That is going to have to be something you figure out by yourself. It is going to be a seal that revolves entirely around you and how you work. If I'm involved in the process, my style may bleed into yours. I'm happy to voice my opinion here or there, but I'm not going to hold your hand. Some things in life need to be faced alone."

Naruto was quiet as he digested these new comments. He may have agreed with the old coot, but he wished he hadn't been so blunt about it.

"Now, in the meantime, let's move on to something a bit more practical that will pay off sooner than working on the Hiraishin design."

Naruto was shook out of his thoughts and watched as Jiraiya placed his hand above the piece of paper. He closed his eyes and placed his palm on the paper, and an instant later, the signature symbols for a simple storage seal sprung across the page.

Naruto was confused as Jiraiya raised his hand and smirked at him.

"I don't get it. Was the seal just hidden in the page or something?"

"Not at all. What you just witnessed is called marking. Tell me, what is the biggest hindrance for fuinjutsu users in combat?"

"Having to alter or write up new seal tags to accommodate for the situation, or running out of premade tags" Naruto replied while crossing his arms.

"Correct. This is the main reason why most people ignore fuinjutsu as a combat form. It is tedious to learn and can be difficult to accommodate on the battlefield. Now this was a problem for several generations, until a fuinjutsu user stumbled upon a neat trick, which he learned from a young lord in Wind country. The young lord had been given the full education of someone of his stature, which included a basic understanding of chakra. As he drenched through mountains of paperwork, he sought a way of cutting down time."

Jiraiya smirked as he raised his palm. "So he sought out a jutsu that could help him, and ended up creating his own."

Jiraiya lowered his hand and created another storage seal next to the original one.

"He ended up finding a way of converting his chakra into ink. He then pushed this jutsu to the next level and found a way to shape the ink into whatever form he desired. Pleased with his discovery, he simply used the technique to cut down time by signing his name across his paperwork. Lucky for us, and the world, our fuinjutsu wanderer saw another application for the technique."

Naruto's eyes flashed, as he understood. "You could convert the ink into the shape for seals!"

"Right on the noggin. Although it wasn't his intention, the lord accidently invented the perfect jutsu for seal masters to apply seals on the battlefield. All they would need is a single touch, and they could apply seals wherever they want. They were no longer dependent on what they prepared ahead of time for a fight."

Naruto bristled with excitement as all of the new possibilities raced through his mind.

"Now, there are some problems with the technique," Jiraiya said, catching his attention. "The shape of the applied seal is only as good as the user's mental image of what he intends to create."

Jiraiya pictured the seal he had seen earlier this morning as he placed his hand upon the page. The result was similar to the actual seal, but not quite perfect. There were bumps along the ink, and the triangle slightly bent to the left.

"As you can see, the technique is limited by the concentration and memory of the user. I would recommend only using this for seals that you truly have memorized by heart. We know how temperamental seals are if they aren't exactly right. The slightest mistake in the design, and it may end up backfiring on you."

Naruto was quiet as he ran through which seals he truly had memorized.

"For right now, I'd stick with those gravity seals that you are so fond of. From what I've heard, you seem to use those enough that you should have a pretty good mental image of them by now."

"So what's the first step?" Naruto asked as he straightened his back.

Jiraiya smirked. "The jutsu has only two hand signs, but once you use it enough, you won't even need them. It will become second nature to you. The first step involves converting your chakra to ink, and the second step is shaping the ink how you want it."

Naruto nodded as copied his hand signs and got down to work. They barely even noticed how the time seemed to pass, as they solely focused on perfecting the technique. Jiraiya would be off in the shade glancing over the design from Iwa, and occasionally glance at the boy as he splattered the page with ink again and again.

* * *

Before they knew it, three days had passed.

Jiraiya groggily headed out towards the field, chowing down on an apple. He was surprised to see the blonde already hard at work, surrounded by piles of paper.

As he watched from the shade, he couldn't help but chuckle. Just look at him go. Minato had done exactly the same thing at his age. Though, to be fair, he also had Kushina joining him from time to time. When those two had put their heads together, there was almost no problem they couldn't solve.

' _You two would have been so proud_ ,' he thought as the boy raised his arms and shouted in victory.

He chuckled at the boy's little dance as he headed across the field.

"Getting anywhere?" he called out.

Naruto turned around and shot him a big grin. He picked up his latest attempt and shot across the field towards him.

"I did it! Look at it! The design is perfect!" he exclaimed as he handed the slip of paper to Jiraiya.

Sure enough, the gravity seal looked no different than if he had drawn it with a brush.

"All right, now let's see if it works," he commented as he took one last bite of his apple. He placed the tag on the fruit and set it on the ground.

Naruto formed a hand sign, and the tag flashed white. He went down to pick up the apple, and smiled when he could barely lift it off the ground.

"Well done, and in only a few days too," he mused as he fondly slapped him on the back.

"Alright! Now what's next?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"Geez kid. Stop and smell the roses," Jiraiya chuckled, "To be honest, that's about all I had planned for our few days together. Kakashi should be back later today or tomorrow, and then you'll be back with your team."

Naruto deflated as he realized his time with the seal master was drawing to a close. He had been having too much fun talking with someone who could actually keep up with him, that he hadn't even notice that their time had flown by.

"I-Isn't there anything else we can do?" he asked as he shuffled his feet.

Jiraiya softened his gazed and ruffled the boy's hair. The boy really needed to learn how to conceal his emotions. He was like an open book. He would have loved to spend more time with his godson, but they both had their own jobs to get back to.

"Don't look so glum kid. It doesn't suit you. I have one last thing planned for us before we're done. The old man wants me to check over the seals placed along the wall of the village, while I'm in town. An extra set of eyes will be appreciated. Now gather your stuff. We'll head out in a few minutes."

Naruto nodded as he started collecting his things. After a few minutes, the two were heading back towards the village.

Naruto was quiet as he stared down at the ground, trying to find the right words to say.

"Don't worry kid, this ain't the last you'll be seeing of me," Jiraiya said breaking his train of thought. "You'll see me again sooner than you'd think, and we'll have more time than just a few days."

"Really?"

"Yep, just focus on making it through the chunin exams in one piece. We'll have plenty of time afterwards to truly dig in to some fuinjutsu lessons."

"Promise?" Naruto asked as he glanced up at the man.

Jiraiya smiled as he stared back at him.

"Promise."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **You guys are amazing. We just broke a ridiculous milestone: 100,000 total views! Holy shit! That is incredible. Thank you so much for the feedback and support. You are the ones who really drive this project forward.**

 **Thank you for all of the reviews, especially those of you who have stuck around from the beginning. Hearing your thoughts as the story progresses really has been a joy.**

 **In personal news, HOLY SHIT! THE CUBS FINALLY WON! As someone whose father and grandfather were born and raised in Chicago, this is a pretty big deal. So satisfied right now (even though I'm coughing up a storm).**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To Delightfully Sinful)**

 **Fixed it. Thank you for drawing my attention to the problem.**

 **(To MoonlitMelody)**

 **The original third member of Kushina's team was going to be Hitomi, but I decided to trash the idea. It would be a little too convenient if all of their parents happened to be on opposite teams from one other. Just consider Hitomi as being on the same team as Tsume Inuzuka and Shibi Aburame. It's my little shout out to the original Team 8 since it doesn't follow the same pattern in this story.**

 **(To ScarletRoofs)**

 **Hit the nail right on the head.**

 **(To Infinity Mask)**

 **I'd answer your questions, but you asked so many that I wouldn't have enough space in the review corner to fit them all. When you've finished catching up and still have questions, feel free to shoot me a PM.**

 **(To NaTLS)**

 **No, they'd give me a 7/10; too much water, I mean mystery.**

 **Also, to clarify, the masks wouldn't bring Minato back. They would just release his soul. Remember he would have died anyway from impalement from the Kyuubi. This is just Jiraiya's personal mission to let his student's soul rest in the peace he deserves.**

 ***(To Kurokawa Kazunari)**

 **Holy carp indeed (All hail Lord Magikarp!) Jk**

 **Anyways, it is important to remember that Naruto isn't a seal master yet. He is someone completely self-taught in the art of fuinjutsu. He has been looking at this thing for years, but even when he finally got it to work, he still didn't know what every piece of the formula meant. Since the beginning, everyone has been reminding him how something is wrong, and that he needs to fix it. This whole time, he has been looking for a solution, but he just hasn't had the knowledge. He's still learning after all.**

 **(To Trekio112)**

 **Right now, he's ever so slightly faster than Lee is with his weights on. I made him this way since Minato was always described as having this prodigal speed. I never wanted to use gravity seals or weights for training due to the pitfall of clichés that they bring, so I just relegated him as being naturally fast**


	30. Chapter 30 - The Exam Begins

Chapter 30 – The Exam Begins

Sasuke was silent as they approached the village.

Lee was having a rather loud conversation with Hinata, while Kakashi was trying to drown out the noise with his book.

Their mission had been an absolute success, but his personal one had not. He glanced back to Hinata, who, in his opinion, was being impressively patient with the hotheaded boy and cheerfully chatted back. He had tried to bring up the issue regarding her cousin more than once over the course of their trip, but she would shut him down every time.

Eventually, he decided to drop the issue in fear of pushing her too far. He resigned to letting the blonde deal with it once they got back. Talking to people wasn't exactly his forte anyway. However, it did sting a bit more than he would like to admit, that she seemed to open up to Naruto rather than him.

Soon, the familiar, looming walls came into view. The white siege walls of the city stretched all around the village borders as far as the eye could see. As the group grew closer, they each noticed two small dots sitting about halfway up the stone structure. The closer they got, the more defined the dots became; until, Sasuke sighed and recognized the frame of his teammate and the old man he had been saddled with.

Even before they reached the wooden gates, they could hear the voices of the two shouting back and forth at each other.

"No! No! No! The chakra detection seal goes _over_ the hexagonal integrity seal."

"I got it! Fine, you're right! It made sense the first time you explained it!"

"Then stop placing them under the integrity seals!"

"It's not like I'm trying to on purpose! They look too similar to the, ugh, which were these again?"

"I already told you. It's the reverse climbing seal; it prevents enemy shinobi from using their chakra to walk up the wall."

"That's a terrible name. Why not call it the anti-sticking seal or anti-invader seal?"

"One, those are too vague. Two, I didn't come up with the names. And three, stop complaining and just focus on getting them in the right order!"

"Maybe I could if you'd stop yelling at me for a minute!"

"Maybe I would if you didn't keep messing up!"

Sparks flew between their eyes as they drew face-to-face. Neither wanted to back down as the two growled at the other's stubbornness.

"I hope it hasn't been like this the entire time we've been gone," Kakashi called up from gate.

Naruto looked down and completely forgot about his feud with the old sage due to the welcome sight before him. A smile split apart his face as he raced down the side of the wall.

"You're back!" he exclaimed as he slammed into the ground. "How did it go? Did you get to fight a lot of bad guys?"

"Very good to see you as well, Naruto," Kakashi chuckled, "The mission was a total success. I'm sure Sasuke and Hinata would be thrilled to catch you up. "

"Not much happened," Sasuke said with a shrug as Naruto faced him. "We didn't really need any ninjutsu. There were only about 30 of them, and we made quick work of them."

Naruto nodded before glancing at the boy in green spandex behind him.

"Oh, hey! And you are?"

"Naruto, this is-"

"My name is Rock Lee! I am very pleased to meet you," Lee cut in as he raced forward and started vigorously shaking his hand. "Your youthful teammates have told me much about you, Naruto-kun! I hope we can blossom into beautiful friends!"

Naruto could barely keep up with the green clad boy, who talked a mile-a-minute. He was seriously worried about the boy ripping his arm off.

"Err, it's nice to meet you too, Lee. I'm sure we'll be good friends."

"Yosh!" he exclaimed while striking his victory pose. He flashed him a blinding smile as Kakashi coughed to catch their attention.

"Lee, I appreciate you lending a hand, and I'm sure Hinata and Sasuke feel the same. I know you're dying to get back to your training, so you're free to head out and meet up with Gai if you wish."

Lee's eyes sparkled as he hugged the man around the waist. Kakashi squirmed as Lee shouted, "Thank you Kakashi-sensei! Truly, you are as insightful and considerate as Gai-sensei claims you to be!"

Lee released him and gave a salute, before turning back to the snickering team.

"It was nice meeting you all! I hope we will clash in youthful combat during the chunin exams! I wish you all the best of luck!"

With that, he tore off into the village heading straight off towards the training grounds. Gai-sensei would really lay into him if he had slacked off in any way during his trip. He was already behind on his weekly 1000 laps around the village.

Naruto simply stared at the retreating dust cloud. That had been...interesting.

Sasuke leaned in and asked, "Remind you of anyone?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know. Very loud, super passionate, loves a hideous color. Ring any bells?"

"Hardy har," he dryly replied. "Was he really like that the entire time?"

"You have no idea," Kakashi sighed, "His sensei's even worse."

Naruto shivered at the thought, before Lee's final words clicked in his head.

"Wait. Did he say he was entering the chunin exams too?"

"Yeah, he did, and I really hope we get to challenge him and his team," Sasuke said with a smile.

"That guy?"

"Despite how ridiculous he looks and acts, he's… strong," Sasuke replied while shaking his head. "Very strong. And fast. Maybe even faster than you."

Now that lit a fire under his stomach. Naruto grinned at the prospect, and really hoped they indeed met again during the exams.

Sasuke was the glad he had mentioned Lee's team. It reminded him that he had something he wanted to discuss with the blonde.

"Hey dobe," he started to whisper, but he was cut off as a light bulb went off in Naruto's head.

He raced past Sasuke up to Kakashi and Hinata, and exclaimed, "Sensei! You won't believe it! I finally figured out what's wrong with the Hiraishin!"

Everyone was silent as the gravity of what he had said sunk in.

"Really?" Hinata asked in awe, "Naruto-kun, that's wonderful!"

"Well, that certainly is good news. Glad to hear your time with Jiraiya turned out to be fruitful."

Sasuke shoved Neji out of his mind as he intently listened to the blond regale his tale of how he figured out the issue. He could bring up Hinata's cousin at another time.

As the blonde rambled on, Jiraiya smirked at him from up on the wall.

"One track mind all right," he muttered as Naruto spread out his hands to illustrate the blood splattering everywhere.

Nostalgia flooded through him as he began to see the ghosts of his past lay over the current Team 7. Honestly, the old man was just toying with him when he set up this team. He laid his gaze on Kakashi, and they shared a short glance.

He had done a good job with these kids. They were almost out of his hands now, but he should have nothing to regret. They were turning out just fine.

Jiraiya placed the finishing touches on the wall's seals, and gave Kakashi one last nod before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

Kakashi had received his message loud and clear. Naruto was his again. At least for a little while. He smiled as he turned back as Naruto excitedly chatted how he would have to create a whole new seal array.

* * *

The next two and a half weeks flew by faster than they would have thought. Reunited, Team 7 tackled back-after-back C-rank missions in order to fulfill their necessary quota. They tackled more bandits, protected caravans, apprehended a wanted fugitive, and even retrieved an ostrich.

Finally, after all of their hard work, they stood in front of the designated building for the first trial of the chunin exams.

"Anyone else got a weird mix of nervous and excited?" Naruto asked, to which the others nodded as they stared at the door.

Kakashi had prepped them one final time the previous day, but did not wish them good luck. They didn't need it.

Though they were anxious, the prospect of truly testing themselves thrilled them to no end. Each of them had work incredibly hard to reach this point, and this was where it all was going to pay off.

As a unit, they entered the building.

* * *

After ignoring the two chunin trying to dissuade other examinees, they entered the exam room and felt a little anxious as more than half of the people in the room turned to stare at them.

Naruto stared over the heads of the applicants throughout the room. He didn't know there would be this many people.

There were teams from all over. He easily recognized the headbands for the Hidden Sand, Rain, Grass, and Waterfall villages scattered throughout the room. There was even a new symbol that he didn't recognize in the shape of an eighth note. As his gaze wandered to the back of the room, he was shocked when he recognized an unexpected symbol.

"Cloud sent people this year?" Naruto whispered to Sasuke, "I thought Kakashi-sensei said Suna was the only other major hidden village to send representatives."

"Looks like they decided to send a team or two," Sasuke muttered as he noticed six total cloud headbands across the room. He was sizing them up as he was knocked forward.

A pair of arms wrapped around his neck, as a voice murmured, "Sasuke-kun. You're late. Didn't anyone ever teach you it's rude to keep a girl waiting?"

"Ino, please get off Sasuke. You're embarrassing everyone present," Shikamaru groaned as he and Chouji walked up to the group.

"It's just been awhile. It's like you guys just disappeared off the face of the Earth," she purred. She either didn't notice Sasuke's disgusted stare or she ignored it, as she turned to Hinata.

"Hinata-chan, I never thought you would be so crafty. Sneaking off with Sasuke-kun all for yourself," Ino teased as she winked at her shy friend.

"Please don't say things like that," she muttered as she forced herself from twiddling her thumbs, "I think Sasuke-kun would prefer it if you were to let him go, Ino."

Ino released her grip on Sasuke and walked up to Hinata. She got face-to-face with her and seemed to be inspecting her over. There was the ever-expected blush, but Ino noted Hinata was holding herself up better than she had before.

"Well, look at you Hinata-chan! I'm so proud of you! Finally come out of your shell. I was beginning to wonder if you would ever stop getting so embarrassed. There are still some traces, but we can work on those later," she said with a smile as she hugged her friend.

Hinata smiled back as she returned the hug. Ino stepped away and seemed glanced her up and down as she circled her.

"Still wearing those bulky clothes I see. We'll get you out of those yet. Maybe into something a little more revealing. Something that shows off the shoulders," Ino teased with a wink.

"I-Ino," Hinata pleaded as a new blush formed on her face.

There it was. Ino chuckled as she saw more of the Hinata that she used to know. She was happy Hinata had made some major steps forward, but she couldn't help poking the buttons she knew would always work.

"Ino-pig, stop teasing Hinata. I'm sure she doesn't find it as funny as you," a new voice called out.

The group turned around to see Team 8 standing in the doorway. Sakura stood in the center, flanked by Kiba and Shino. Kiba held his ever-cocky grin, as he smirked at the group. As usual, Akamaru sat comfortably on his head and yipped his greetings to the other genin. Shino was silent as ever, surveying the group with a cool indifference. Sasuke gave him a nod, which the boy was pleased to return. Sakura stood with her hands on her hips as she shot Ino a reprimanding look.

"It's okay, Sakura. I know she isn't trying to be mean," Hinata said trying to dissolve the situation.

"Well, look at you Forehead-girl. Gotta say, love the new outfit. Somehow, even you are making it work."

Sakura had embraced her sensei wholeheartedly, and modeled herself after her new influence. Her outfit and her sensei's were almost identical, aside from the red being replaced with a pink shade similar to her hair.

"I guess I'll take the compliment, coming from you," she replied, before smiling at the rest of the group.

"It's so nice to see everyone again. I see I'm not the only one who had a wardrobe change," she commented as she gave Naruto a look up and down.

"Like it?" Naruto said as he spun and showed off his navy shirt, "I got it as a gift after graduation. They're just so comfy and light. They're not orange, but I guess they're still pretty cool."

"Looks good on you. Glad to see finally see you in something other than orange," Kiba said as he glanced him over, "Who were they from?"

Naruto stopped as he raised a finger to his chin. "You know, I never really found out. They just left the package on my door and left."

Sasuke noticed Hinata seemed nervous for some reason, as she looked away and twiddled her thumbs.

Sakura turned to Sasuke and simply offered him a nod, which greatly surprised him. She had changed more than her outfit, it appeared. It was an appreciated change of pace.

"My, my. Nothing but gossip from you rookies. Keep that up, and the other teams are going to start to think you'll be easy pickings," a voice said as a new person approached the group.

The genin turned and stared at the new arrival with grey hair and thick glasses.

"And you are-"

"Kabuto," he replied with a light smile, "Pleased to meet your acquaintances."

"What did you mean about easy picking?" Kiba asked.

Kabuto smirked and pointed behind them. The group turned and realized the classroom of applicants were still staring them down. They had gotten so caught up that they forgot they were standing in front of the entire class.

Many of the nearby shinobi, especially a few wearing Rain headbands, were shooting the gathered rookies particularly viscous glares. After giving some advice about keeping quiet, Kabuto offered to share some information about himself.

"You've failed six times? You must not very good," Kiba scoffed before Sakura smacked him in the head.

"Kiba! That was rude. I apologize for his comment Kabuto-san," she said, ignoring Kiba muttering under his breath behind her.

"It's no problem. My expertise lies mostly in information gathering and medical ninjutsu. I'm not really suited for combat," he chuckled.

"So you must have considerable knowledge about the exam, correct?" Shino asked.

The rookies were slightly startled at his voice, since this was the first time he had spoken since they arrived. Kabuto nodded as he whipped out a deck of cards.

"Indeed I do. I happen to keep these info cards regarding each of the teams participating in the exams. I'd be happy to share them with you."

"Neji Hyuuga and that team from Kumo," Sasuke said immediately.

Hinata flinched at the mention of Neji's name, but Kabuto ignored her as he withdrew the desired cards. Holding up the first one, he said, "A year older than you all. Mission history: D-rank, 110 completed; C-rank, 14 completed. Sensei is Maito Gai. He is incredibly skilled in the Hyuuga's jyuuken form, and is praised as a genius even. This is his first exam with his teammates; Tenten Yukari and Rock Lee."

Hinata had felt some discomfort at the mention of Neji's name, but the feeling didn't really linger. The same could not be said as Kabuto pulled out the three Kumo-nins' cards.

"Hmm, they are designated as Team Tesla. Mission history: D-rank, 78 completed; C-rank, 34 completed; and B-rank, oh my, 6 completed. Sensei is Rokurou Yamada. The team consists of Jay Oshiro, Kai Moto, and Ehl Honda. Unfortunately, I don't have anything regarding their abilities. They certainly are a surprise, considering Kumo usually refrains from sending emissaries to the exams."

The genin were quiet as they digested this new information. 6 B-rank missions, that was just insane for a genin team. The knowledge that a team like that was part of the competition really made them realize how difficult this was going to be.

"That's crazy," Naruto muttered as he glanced over the Kumo team.

"Maybe, " Sasuke said as his lip curled, "but we've been through worse."

Naruto returned the grin as Kiba butted in, "Oh really? Stop trying to act all cool, Sasuke. I'll admit you guys are good, but there's no way you've gone on anything like that."

"Care to bet, dog-breath?" Naruto asked with a wryly smile.

"Absolutely," Kiba grinned back at him.

"Naruto-kun. I don't think that would be a good idea," Hinata chimed in.

"Nah, go ahead and ask him Kiba. Your reaction will be priceless," Sasuke smirked.

"Fine. Let's see Team Seven's cards," Kiba replied smugly as he crossed his arms.

Kabuto chuckled as he shifted through the deck. "Come now. We're all Konoha genin in this. You all should be working together rather than pushing each other away. The exams are for personal promotion, but they're also about demonstrating the strength of the village. The more Konoha-nin that pass, the better message that sends to the village's clients."

He stopped as he drew out the three cards.

"Here we are, Team Seven. Their sensei is Kakashi Hatake. For mission history, we have 22 D-ranks accomplished; for C-ranks, 7 accomplished; and, well know, 2 A-ranks."

Team Seven was suddenly the center of attention as they felt the eyes of everyone in the room focus on them. Naruto internally cursed as he shot Sasuke a look.

"We certainly have a target painted on us now!" he angrily whispered, "Way to go, Sasuke. Just had to show up Kiba, didn't you?"

"You're one to talk," Hinata quietly scolded, "You both are just too competitive."

They both felt guilt creep through their system as they offered her a shy smile. As usual, she was right.

Kiba sputtered as he tried to regain his bearings.

He was about to go off, when the door slammed open behind him. Akamaru yelped and Kiba jumped in surprise at the towering man clad in black before him. He glared down at him and growled, "Move."

The rookies and Kabuto walked off as fast as their feet could carry them and spread out through the classroom.

The man's almost hungry gaze instantly began to grate on the nerves of the genin. He was certainly imposing, and the scars along his face certainly helped reinforce that image.

"Oh no," Naruto muttered as he recognized the man.

"What? Who is it?" Sakura whispered as Naruto slammed his head into the desk. The two had unintentionally ended up sitting next to each other in the sixth row.

"It's Ibiki. He's the head of the interrogation division. Nee-chan told me about him," he groaned through the wood. Sakura raised an eyebrow and was about to inquire more, when the man started talking.

"All right, listen up. I'm Morino Ibiki, the examiner for the Chunin Selection Exam's first test. Shut up so we can all get started."

To say the least, a unanimous groan echoed through the room as he revealed the true nature of the exam.

"What do you mean it's a _written exam_?"

* * *

Hinata smiled as she penciled in her final answer. She was quite proud of herself. Sure, she had seen through the true purpose of the test, but she had taken it upon herself to actually tackle the test without resorting to cheating. Even without using her byakugan, she still managed to answer all nine questions.

She turned over her test and glanced around the room. About a quarter of the examinees had been failed already. Some were just not sly enough in their approach to cheating, or they were disqualified due to their teammates.

Speaking of which, she cast a glance to her right towards Sasuke, who sat two rows in front of her. While he was quickly writing, she noticed his head wasn't exactly turned towards his paper. She noticed the planted chunin in the row ahead of him, and noticed their hands. He was using his sharingan to copy the plant's movements for his answers.

Satisfied with his progress, she turned to her left towards Naruto. He and Sakura were about three rows ahead of her. He seemed to be making steady progress. While it was commonly known he despised any form of testing, she knew he was actually quite smart.

All those years of fuinjutsu calculations and studying had to count for something.

* * *

Indeed, Naruto had actually done pretty well, and was quite pleased with his work. He had sailed through the problems regarding calculations, but the ones regarding history or foreign policy stumped him.

He glanced over at Sakura, who had sailed through this section of the test no problem. His eyes shot back to his paper, as he felt the heated glare of Ibiki turn on him.

He was actually beginning to get nervous. The clock was growing closer and closer to the time limit, and he still needed to get three questions. Sakura was his best bet to getting the correct answers, but he couldn't just peak at her paper. They were far too long and complicated to simply copy.

He smirked as an idea popped into his head. Pretending to be bored with the exam, he leaned on his hand as he doodled in the bottom corner of the test.

After staring at the prankster for a minute or two, Ibiki grew bored of him and turned his attention to some other unlucky soul.

Even after he was satisfied Ibiki's attention was no longer on him, he still waited a minute or two just to be sure. Nee-chan had told him all about the man, and he didn't feel like taking any chanced. Naruto occasionally glanced at the chunins patrolling the aisles as he shaded in the final markings. It was hard making them as small as he could, but he was pretty sure they would work.

He smiled at his paper as be blew away the little bits of eraser, and stared down at the small seal.

Traditionally, seals were transcribed with ink. This was due to its liquid state and low viscosity. Since chakra was just another form of energy, it tended to flow easier through a liquid format. Using water was out of the question because it was almost impossible for it to keep the defined shape that was necessary seals to function. However, liquids comprising of water tended to be great conduits for fuinjutsu. As it turned out, blood was an excellent framework for seals due to its viscosity and tendancy to stain. In fact, certain seal patterns were only accessible through the use of blood as a marker. For obvious reasons, it was a practice that was heavily frowned upon and forbidden across the elemental nations. Thus, ink served as the happy medium that fulfilled the necessary requirements.

That being said, a liquid was not always required for seals. It was just the easiest medium for spreading chakra through the pattern. Other methods, such as a pencil or even a crayon were possible, but less proficient.

Naruto looked at his tiny design, and quietly tore off the bottom of the page. This was where things got tricky. His whole plan actually centered on something out of his control.

He gently tapped Sakura's feet as he slid the tiny piece of paper to his right.

She was silent as the tiny piece of paper slid next to her test. This was the problem with his plan. He had to rely on blind trust that Sakura would be willing to help him.

Honestly, there was no reason for her to do so. If anything, ratting him out would only help her. If he were to be disqualified, her team would have an even better chance at passing. The less competition, the better.

However, he hoped that she would remember Kabuto's message from earlier. The exam wasn't just about being promoted. It was about proving the strength of the entire village. The more teams from Konoha that passed, the better it would look.

Kitsune and the Hokage had both lectured him for years about placing his trust too easily, but once it was earned, it was hard to shake. He and Sakura had known each other for years. Sure, they were never the closest of friends, if you could even call them that, but they had grown up along side each other and shared a bond that resonated throughout their year of rookies. Something instinctual just drove them to feel connected.

She stayed silent as she tentatively picked up the piece of paper, and hid it in her palm.

Naruto was beginning to feel hopeful, before his tongue curled in his mouth. He fought tooth-and-nail from crying out due to the crushing pain on his toes.

She sent him a short glare as she twisted her heel a little more into his foot. Sakura was a avid by-the-books person, and frowned upon all forms of cheating, even if it was necessary.

However, she eventually sighed and removed the pressure from his foot. She placed the tiny scrap of paper on her test, and made a hand seal under the table. The paper flashed for half a second before returning to normal.

She tapped his foot twice in return and slid the paper back to him. He didn't glance at her, but he doodled a tiny smily face on the top of his test for her to see.

He placed the shred of paper over the first unsolved question and placed his thumb over the symbol. After a surge of chakra, Sakura's neat handwriting etched across the page. He repeated the process two more times, and he smiled at his completed exam.

He would have to make it up to her somehow in the next section of the exams.

With his test complete, he leaned back as he waited for Ibiki to reveal the final question.

* * *

After 15 more minutes, Ibiki ordered everyone to drop their pencils, and revealed the final stakes of the final question. Naruto sat up as team after team started to head out the door. His heart burnt as he witnessed more and more genin regretfully drop out of the exam.

He glanced across at Sasuke, whom he was relieved to see had no intention to forfeit this opportunity.

He could tell without even looking that Hinata was a different story.

It wasn't concern for herself that plagued her, but rather her concern for her teammates. She knew how much being a shinobi meant to them, and she did not want to ruin their chances just for a single question.

Naruto could start to see her hand twitch, and his eyes widened. He was not going to allow her to ruin her chance to prove her family wrong just for their sake.

He slammed his hand on the desk and stared Ibiki directly in the eyes.

"Something you want to say, pipsqueak?" Ibiki coldly asked as he and the boy stared down each other.

Neither flinched or even blinked in their grudge match of will.

"Yeah, actually I do. I think you're full of bullshit."

Silence fell upon the room, as the atmosphere was flattened by his response.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me the first time. I call bull. I will not run away from this. So what if I remain a genin forever? It's just a title, and titles mean nothing in the real world. Your rank does not measure your skill. It's my dream to become Hokage, and I don't care if I have to be considered a genin for the rest of my life before that happens."

He finished his tirade and shot Ibiki one last look.

"I won't run away from your empty threats."

His words echoed throughout the room, resonating with every applicant. They started to smile as they turned their attention back to the proctor.

They were ready to keep going, despite the odds.

 _'Now isn't he something else?'_ Ibiki thought as he watched the blonde brat sit back down, ' _He certainly has a way of inspiring people, even those from other villages.'_

After a minute without anyone else dropping, he decided to call it. The kid had roused the other genin, and no one else would be backing out now.

He smirked as he gazed at the troublesome genin in question.

 _'Naruto Uzumaki. I',m very interested to see how far you get.'_

Sasuke gulped at the sight of the scars, as Ibiki tied up the back of his bandana.

"Those of you who decided to take the chance answered the tenth question correctly. You have proven you have the guts to face down an inevitable situation and face it head on. Congratulations, you have made it through the entrance. The first test of the Chunin Selection Exam is now finished. I wish you guys luck."

There was a shatter of glass as a dark blur suddenly appeared in front of him. The new arrival smirked and struck a pose, as her backdrop fell from the ceiling.

"All right you maggots, listen up! Don't get too cocky! This is no time to be celebrating!"

Naruto groaned and cradled his face in his hands.

It just had to be her, didn't it?

The examinees were stunned at the woman's sudden entrance, and even more surprised by the more than self-flattering message across the canvas.

"A little too early, Anko," Ibiki muttered as he walked around the banner. She ignored him as she quietly counted the heads of the remaining teams.

"66! You let 22 teams pass?" she exclaimed as she rounded on Ibiki. "You're loosing your edge, old timer. You went way too soft on them. Keep this up, and I'll be snatching your job right from under you."

"No chance in hell, Mitarashi. As for the genin, what can I say? There's some real talent out there this year," he chuckled.

"Oh, I already know," she replied with a sadistic smile as she scanned the room. Her eyes wandered over everyone's faces as she searched for one person in particular.

 _'Where are you hiding you brat?'_

Finally, she halted at the clump of blond hair attempting to hide behind the desk, and called out, "There you are you little punk!"

Naruto froze as he slowly peaked over the desk and sent the woman a nervous smile.

"H-hey A-Anko-nee-chan. L-Long time, no see. "

"And whose fault is that?" she asked far too sweetly as she suddenly appeared right next to his seat.

He yelped and fell back over his chair. He ignored the stinging pain and stares of everyone in the room, as he waved his arms in front of him.

"Y-You know it wasn't intentional, nee-chan. Kakashi-sensei and jiji were just keeping us really busy. I would have swung by if I had the time, I swear."

"Aww, you were just too busy? That sounds just _awwwfu_ l," she dragged out as she placed her boot onto his chest, "Poor little Naru-chan. You should have just said so. Of course I believe you. I mean it's not like you would use any free time you possibly could have had reading through books, instead of checking in with me. You know that would just break my precious, little heart."

Beads of sweat raced down his face and he gulped. The woman threw her head back and let out a sadistc laugh, before smirking and spinning a kunai through the handle.

"Relax brat. Smile a little," she said as she removed her heel and took a step back. "I've actually missed you, runt. No one else works quite as well as a target dummy as you do."

To accent her point, she flicked the kunai past his face as he started to get to his feet.

The sharp metal had stung, but it didn't really bother him. Honestly, it was really nice to see her too. She was right. It really had been too long, and he felt guilty as hell for not checking in with her sooner.

The other examinees watched on in confusion at the antics of the strange duo.

"Um, Naruto-kun," Hinata called from the other side of the room, "Who is this lady?"

She was surprised by the little girl's question, and angrily bopped Naruto on top of head.

"You mean you haven't told your teammates about me? Now that actually is hurtful Naru-chan. If you hadn't picked up your manners from me, I would have socked you again."

Naruto grumbled in response, while rubbing his aching head. The woman flashed Hinata a devious smile as she placed a hand on her hip.

"The name is Anko Mitarashi, Hyuuga girl. Don't you forget it. That goes for all of you! I am your proctor for the next phase of the exam! I hope you're ready, cause it is going to be an absolute bloodbath!"

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Thank you for your support. I am starting to feel much better. Still slightly coughing, but I don't feel as lousy as I did Saturday.**

 **Not much happened this chapter until near the end, but that was just the nature of the section. You guys will like next chapter. It will have more than a fair share of fluff, as you'll get to see how these two first met.**

 **As many of you correctly guessed, Naruto's secret nee-chan was indeed Anko. I've always loved Anko, and felt it was a shame that she was shoved to the sideline in canon. While she isn't a major character in this story, I felt I needed to do something else to get her involved. She's just too fascinating and fun to not utilize her. She'll have her moments helping each of our main cast, but don't expect her to be in the thick of the action (unfortunately).**

 **Next chapter will explain how these two met each other and developed their strange relationship.**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To TwistedWizardLizard)**

 **… fair enough. To be honest, that was the best name I could come up with at the time. I also felt that it wasn't quite right, but I wanted to get the chapter out. I have since gone back and altered it.**

 **Here's a little tidbit for everyone: Kitsune's attacks are actually themed after the seven deadly sins. You'll get a good look at the rest of his arsenal in the near future.**

 **(To iitrnr)**

 **I get how that can be kind of jarring, and, in a way, you are right.**

 **That being said, universities have existed in the world for over a thousand years. The oldest university on record that is still operating opened in 1088 A.D. Besides; civilians would be the ones who would mostly benefit from this kind of education. Shinobi wouldn't go because they are just soldiers. Though, it makes sense for the leader of a clan, who specializes in memory jutsu, to seek and afford an education regarding psychology. We already have doctors and scholars in this world, so its not too far fetched to believe there could be a form of higher education.**

 **That's just my side of the argument. Your comment regarding doctorates isn't wrong either. Just two different takes on the matter.**

 **(To Nogs28)**

 **You're f^# &*% welcome :)**

 **(To anoneme)**

 **That is actually a very good guess. I really like that explanation. Obviously, that wasn't the true issue, but I have to applaud you for that idea.**

 **(To InfinityMask)**

 **My initial reaction was to say he was using clones, but then I read back through and realized he hadn't been (woops). Well, if you want a better answer, it's because he has been used to experimenting on his own for years. Old habits die hard I guess. As for why not using a clone for the Nidaime's design, that is more of a storytelling answer. If I used a clone, it would take away from the reveal of the horrible problem that has been occurring.**

 **(To OoOXylionOoO)**

 **To clarify, he's not exactly apprenticed to Kitsune. The ANBU is just a friend, who has grown fond of the boy for more than a few reasons (no, not like that). He feels obligated to help him along once or twice and share a few of his jutsu with him.**

 **Also, there are parts of Naruto's psyche that can't be completely severed without making him out-of-character. He is severely stunted on a social level, and will be prone to act the way he does. Besides, part 1 Naruto will always be a loveable idiot. It's just part of his charm.**

 **(To Epwydadlan)**

 **Thanks for the idea. (Mwuahahahahaha)**

 **(To the Guest in Ch 29)**

 **First off, I can assure you that Ria is not a self-insert (I'm a guy btw). Secondly, the reason why the Iwa subplot doesn't seem to be affecting the main story is because I am sticking rather closely to the canon events until the time skip. Don't worry, there are actually two entire arcs dedicated to the Iwa subplot. The bulk of the story takes place during shippuden, and the arcs set up in part 1 will come to a head after Team 7 has become old enough to deal with them.**

 **I can understand your comments regarding Mikoto being similar to Kushina. Honestly, I do see her as a more peaceful person, but you have to remember she is also very young during the flashbacks you saw of her. You could also say she picked up some characteristics from her best friend. She certainly mellowed with age, and that will be brought up later. That goes for everyone. We're talking about 12 years olds here. I'm certain many of you can agree that you are a much different person today than before you were a teenager.**

 **Can't talk too much about romance. Those are spoilers that I would like to keep relatively secret, though it is possible to tell where the story is heading.**


	31. Chapter 31 - A Kindred Spirit

Chapter 31 – A Kindred Spirit

 _Seven Years Earlier_

 _"All right, I think that's just enough drinks for you, Kurenai," a man said as he helped her off the floor._

 _"Party pooper," her friend murmured, as she too helped him lift up their friend._

 _"No, no. I'm just….f-fine," the young woman murmured as she tried to wave them away. The sudden movement made her very nauseous, and the world felt like it was spinning out of control. She almost lost her stomach as she leaned against the bar._

 _"Yeah. You're done," Asuma muttered as he started carrying her towards the door._

 _It had been a special night. After a lot of coercion, they had finally managed to get Kurenai to join them for drinks. For a long time, Kurenai had refused to partake in drinking. It was something her parents had dissuaded as a child, and was just against the fiber of her being. Instead, she had always served as the mother hen of their group. She'd watch over everyone with a passion and sometimes chastise them for some of their more destructive habits._

 _Tonight, Kurenai needed a little relief. She had been seeing someone from the civilian sector for quite some time, and it had ended on a rather poor note. She needed some comfort, and her mischievous best friend had known just the thing to help her._

 _Anko had been fiendishly thrilled to finally coax a little fun out of her. Kurenai was always so rigid and proper that it sometimes drove her mad. The two butted heads on more than one issue, but Anko would always apologize if she felt she had gone too far._

 _Kurenai meant too much to her to lose over something as silly as an argument. She had been there for her during a very difficult time in her life, when many others had not. She had overlooked all of her negative quirks and stood by her anyways. For that, Anko was eternally grateful._

 _"I think it's about time we got you home," Asuma said as they left the bar. Kurenai groaned as she stumbled along the dirt path. Even in her current state, she could tell she was not going to have fun the following morning._

 _"Oh no, no, no, you don't," Anko slurred as she pulled her friend away from him. "I'm taking her home myself. I won't allow any inappropriate behavior on my watch!"_

 _"Anko, you're drunk as well," Asuma sighed as he ignored her remarks. Kurenai had usually served as the designated sober friend, but, tonight, he had offered to fill the void._

 _"Maybe I'm a little tipsy, but I'm sober enough," she said as she sent him a smirk, "Don't think I don't see those glances you two share. I bet you're just thrilled things didn't work out between her and that teme. I'm not allowing the two of you out of my sight! You luuuuurve her don't you?"_

 _Asuma knew he shouldn't egg her on in her current state, but he couldn't help it. "If that's the case, what does that say about those glances you've been shooting at Kakashi?"_

 _Anko already red cheeks turned crimson and she shouted, "Sh-shut up! That means nothing! Stop changing the subject! You aren't taking advantage of my innocent Kurenai-chan!"_

 _Asuma sighed and rubbed his forehead. Anko could be so thick headed, especially after she'd been drinking._

 _"I'm honestly not trying anything. I just want to make sure you both get home safe and sound."_

 _"Worry about yourself," she huffed as she dragged her limp friend down the road, "No one's getting near my Ku-chan! Besides, I think Gai and Hayate needs more help than she does! 'Night Asuma!"_

 _Asuma cursed as he watched them go off. Anko's mind was a bit clouded, but she could take care of herself if the situation arose. Kurenai, on the other hand, was completely hammered. She would not be able to fend for herself if someone decided to test their luck against the drunk shinobi._

 _The door opened behind him, and a voice called out, "Go on. I've got Gai, and Ebisu is taking care of Hayate. We can take care of things from here."_

 _"Thank you Kakashi. I owe you one," he said as he shot off onto the rooftops._

 _"Don't mention it," he muttered to the wind as he stared off at the retreating forms of the girls into the darkness._

 _He might not show it very well, but he deeply cared about the well being of his former classmates. He may have been drowning himself in work, but he made sure to come out once or twice upon Gai's request. Sensei would not have liked him being so cut off from his friends._

* * *

 _"Hehe, you are going to have so much fun tomorrow, Ku-chan. I just can't wait to watch," Ankso sadistically cackled from the front door of her friend's house._

 _"Nighty night, Kurenai! I'll be back in the morning to watch the show!" A groan from hallway leading towards the bedroom was her only response. After locking the door with the key she had given her, Anko began heading off into the village back towards her place._

 _Pleased that she was home safe, a shadow watching from a distant rooftop nodded before disappearing in a swirl of leaves._

 _Anko pulled up her coat as she made her way through the village. It was currently around 1 o'clock in the morning, and the only inhabitants of the streets were drunkards and other wasted individuals stumbling their way home. Plus, it was freezing outside. It was the middle of October, and the frigid chill of winter was just starting to sink in._

 _As she made her way across the streets, she glanced at the lingering decorations that adorned the shops and restaurants from the event held a few days ago. Today was October 14_ _th_ _, four days after the memorial of the Kyuubi attack. It was a day of sorrow and misery, as everyone reflected on the loss of so many lives during that night._

 _People had been shattered by the losses they endured. Homes completely destroyed, friends lost forever, and families broken apart. Everyone had something to grieve about during that day._

 _She and her fellow classmates had been forced to stay out of the village that night. She and Kurenai had been very vocal about the decision, but their senior officers would not budge. While she hadn't agreed at the time, now she would reflect back and grudgingly agree it was the right call. She and her classmates were the future of the village, and they would need every hand on deck after the attack was finished. She hadn't been up close, but she had more than a clear view of the destruction that tore apart her village._

 _In the end, there was nothing but misery. No winners, only survivors._

 _Of course, those who did survive had a very clear outlet for their aggression and pain. The council had seen to it to "accidentally" leak the identity of the Kyuubi jiinuchuriki. Ever since, the boy was the subject of endless torment and disdain by both civilians and shinobi alike._

 _Fools the lot of them._

 _She, herself, knew the pain of being branded with something she couldn't control and being judged for it._

 _As she walked down the road, a voice distracted her from her thoughts from the alley she had just passed._

 _"Please! Leave me alone!" a young voice echoed behind her._

 _She paused and glanced back at the small crowd of men, who seemed to be cornering a small boy. Speak of the devil. She could barely make him out through the men blocking her view, but it was impossible to mistake that wild, blonde hair for anyone else._

 _Naruto sobbed as he backed against the wall and covered his head. The air was thick with the smell of whiskey and sake. The men were practically covered in the stench as they slowly enveloped him._

 _"Please! I didn't do anything! I swear!"_

 _His please fell on deaf ears, as the crowd of drunken men drew ever closer. The leader of the group held a shattered glass bottle in his hand, as he approached the frightened young boy. If he were in a more sober state, he would have probably felt a little guilty about striking out at a child, even if it was the demon brat. But he was not fully in control right now. He was currently being fueled by all of the hate and sadness that had been building up for years, after the loss of his brother. Right now, he saw no distinction between the beast and the little boy in front of him._

 _It was pay back time. He glared at the boy as he raised the bottle above his head._

 _"Back off!" a distinctive voice echoed through the dark alley._

 _The group froze and turned around to stare at the silhouette of a woman glaring back at them._

 _"What did she say?" one man growled as he leered at her._

 _"You heard me. What are you, ignorant and deaf? Leave the kid alone, and get the hell out of my sight," she barked as she stared down the mob._

 _Naruto cracked one eye open in disbelief. He still pressed himself as far into the corner as he could, as one man sauntered forward._

 _"Listen sweety. We wouldn't want to harm such a pretty face, but we have some business here. Why don't you wait over there and maybe we'll talk a little later."_

 _She smiled, far too innocently, as she strutted towards him._

 _"Why doesn't that sound lovely," she coed, before her arms whipped forward._

 _The man shrieked out in pain as a viper struck out from her coat's sleeves and bit him in the neck. Another snake shot from her other sleeve and began wrapping him up._

 _"Unfortunately for you and your friends, I have something called standards. They may be lower than some others', but you all unfortunately don't quite meet the bar, "sweety.""_

 _She lifted the man into the air, and violently tossed him into one of the garbage bins that lined the alley's walls. The metal frame bent from the force of his impact, and the other men stepped back in fear._

 _She turned her steely glare upon them, and they nearly wet themselves. Her eyes did not hold the playful twinkle they usually held._

 _"Anyone else?" she asked as the snakes turned toward the group and hissed._

 _They let out a cry of fear and started racing around the woman as fast as they could. One particular man made the mistake of growling "snake bitch" as he passed by her. Fast as lightening, her hand lashed out and caught him by the throat._

 _Unfortunately for him, his friends seemed to be worrying more about their own safety than his, as they raced away into the night._

 _"What was that? I don't think I quite heard you. Could you repeat yourself?" she asked as she pulled him closer to her face._

 _"N-N-Nothing! I-I-I said nothing!"_

 _"Tsk, tsk. Didn't your mother teach you it's impolite to lie to a lady?" she asked as she tightened her grip on the man's throat. He gasped for air as she slowly crushed his windpipe. He cried out garbled sounds as he tried to say something._

 _"What was that?"_

 _"I'-ch-m so-chr-ry!"_

 _"Was that so hard?" she asked as she tossed him out of the alley. He gasped as he tried to refill his lungs, and he took off running as soon as he partially regained his breath._

 _Satisfied with her work, she glanced at the small boy huddled in the back corner. His eyes were wide in shock as she walked up to him. He didn't know whether to be reassured or horrified, as she knelt before him. She gazed into his eyes and offered him a smile. Not one of her more playful ones, but one that was more honest._

 _"Don't let anyone put you down kid. You're more than that," she said as she lifted him to his feet._

 _He was silent and his eyes were full of wonder as he stared up at the woman, who had saved him. He was simply too shocked to speak. No one had ever stood up for him like that before. Jiji's masked men would occasionally step in after a while, but he always felt that it was more of an obligation rather than out of kindness._

 _"Get inside before you catch a cold kid, and try to stay out of trouble," she said as she ruffled his hair. She offered one last, sly smile as she headed out of the alleyway and walked off into the village._

 _After a few minutes, the boy slowly tiptoed out of the alley and stared at her shrinking figure around the corner._

 _Who was she?_

* * *

 _3 Weeks Later_

 _Anko happily skipped as she made her way towards her favorite sweet shop. The citizens who recognized her felt their hearts clutch in their throats at the sight of her glee. If Anko was happy, that meant someone else was surely not._

 _She had just finished a lovely day observing at the Interrogations division. She had been applying to joining them for the past year, and finally her application was accepted. ANBU was fun, but it never held that same personal thrill that interrogation seemed to hold. It was just a perfect fit with her, and she had even been paired up with the head of the division himself. It was like a dream come true._

 _After her long session, she had decided she would treat herself, like every other day, and sit down with a nice plate of dango._

 _What was even better was that she didn't sense her secret stalker today._

 _Ever since she had stuck up for the little runt, she had begun to notice a tiny presence following her around the village. It didn't take long to realize who it was. The little blonde boy would stick to her like gum to a desk. He would never approach her directly, but he would be watching her from behind a corner or a rooftop. It had been a little cute, at first, but now it was beginning to get on her nerves._

 _Fifteen minutes later, she was happily snacking down on her favorite treat outside of the little shop. As she popped another fresh stick into her mouth, she could sense the gaze of two older gentlemen sitting at a table near her._

 _She didn't technically mind being glanced over once or twice. Hell, she loved to tease innocent chumps with her killer looks, much to Kurenai's distaste. However, she did have an age limit, and these two were clearly past it._

 _It was beginning to tick her off, and she was about to say something, when one of the men was drenched in red paint. She and the other occupants were shocked as the man cried out over his hair and clothes being stained. Immediately afterwards, the other man was painfully pegged in the forehead by the metal can, sending him toppling over his seat._

 _Everyone glanced across the street and stared towards the rooftop at a young boy with goggles._

 _"Keep your eyes to yourselves you perverted, old lechers!" he cried out before he turned around and fled._

 _Anko chuckled as the two, old men started sputtering and trying to excuse themselves to the other patrons, who were now shooting them dark looks._

 _Anko glanced up at the retreating form of the brat and decided it was time she really sat down and talked with the brat._

* * *

 _The young boy was silent, darting from corner to corner as he followed the purple-haired woman in a trench coat. He had been following his mysterious savior for some time now. A mixture of gratitude, curiosity, and, admittedly, hero-worship pushed the little boy to find out more about this strange woman._

 _He had followed her around the village almost every day for the past week now, and was mustering up his courage to come right up and thank her. He had decided today was going to be the day, so he was now tracking her path down her usual route after work._

 _He followed her until she made a strange turn and went down a dark alley. This action surprised him, and made him cautious as he approached the corner to the alley. He slowly glanced around the corner, and he was shocked when he found that she had just disappeared. He slowly crept towards the dead end as he looked everywhere for her._

 _There were no other paths, and no doors leading out of the alley. Where could she have gone?_

 _He yelped as he was knocked from his feet and dragged along the ground. He shrieked and fought against something wrapped around his ankles, as he was lifted into the air. He fought and kicked against his restraints, but was silenced and awestruck as he found himself face-to-face with the mysterious woman._

 _They were silent as she hung him there with her snakes firmly wrapped around his legs. Neither said a word as they stared into each other's eyes. Naruto was oddly quiet as he gazed back at the usually snarky woman._

 _"Umm, h-hello," he stuttered before she released him. He fell to the ground with a thud, and her snakes retreated back into her coat._

 _"Why are you following me, kid?" she asked as she placed a hand on her hip._

 _The usually boisterous boy seemed uncharacteristically shy as he stood back up and shuffled his feet._

 _"I-I, u-um, n-never got to say thank you for what you did the other night," he stuttered as he glanced at the ground._

 _"Think nothing of it," she said with a dismissive wave, "those guys were just assholes and needed to be put in their place."_

 _"But you stood up for me. No one has ever done that before," he said as he reached into his pocket. He felt his heart fall a little as he stared at the slightly smooshed box._

 _"I, um, wanted to thank you, but it got a little crushed in my pants, sorry."_

 _He was clearly nervous as he bowed and presented the box in front of him. He hoped she would like it. He had been saving up all week for it._

 _She raised an eyebrow, but gently took the present from his hands and opened it. It was nothing special, but he had obviously thought it would mean a lot to her. Inside the box were three slightly flattened sticks of dango._

 _She smiled and felt her heart soften at the sight. She glanced back at the boy, who was nervously awaiting her reaction. Oh, Kurenai would never let her live it down if she saw how much her heart was melting right now. He was just too adorable with his chubby, little cheeks and wide eyes staring up at her._

 _She smirked down at him and stuck the stick into her mouth._

 _"By the way, I loved what you did the other day at the sweet shop. Those old bastards really had it coming."_

 _He giggled at the memory and was more than surprised as he felt her ruffling his hair. She knelt down in front of him and smiled._

 _"Anko Mitarashi. Pleased to meet you."_

 _His face lit up with a big smile as he reached out his tiny hands._

 _"Nice to meet you, Anko nee-chan. I'm Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki!"_

* * *

(Present Day)

Anko smirked as she watched the brat chatting away with his team. All of the applicants who had made it past the first exam were all gathered in front of her home-away-from-home in preparation for the second test.

The Forest of Death loomed over the applicants, casting discomfort through some of the younger genin. Some said it had been an experiment from the first Hokage that was abandoned after some unforeseen accident. Either way, it served today as the ideal training sight for ANBU and special jounin. There was nothing too dangerous that a chunin wouldn't be able to handle, but there were plenty of massive wildlife that could get the drop on you if you weren't careful.

Back to the blonde, she watched as he chatted with that stick-in-the-mud Uchiha and the small, shy Hyuuga. Oooh, she could not wait to sink her teeth into her development, literally and figuratively. From what she had heard, the girl was as quiet as a mouse in public, but a lion in combat. She was looking forward to seeing that firsthand. She would have to force Kakashi to introduce her to his little team down the road. Seeing how the blonde neglected to mention much of her, she needed to make sure they had a good impression of who they were dealing with.

Kakashi was going to do it whether he liked it or not, and, unless he wanted to sleep on the couch, he was going to like it.

The blonde had come so far from that day she discovered him in an alleyway. During his time at the academy, he would occasionally come to her asking for help, and she would always be willing to oblige. She had been happy to whip him into shape, and she had all too many sadistic ways of doing so. Snakes turned out to be quite powerful motivators.

Watching him converse with his friends was starting to make her feel old. Hell, she wasn't even thirty yet. She shouldn't be feeling old! Yet, it filled her with a strange satisfaction to see how far her lonely, little boy had come. It just felt odd thinking back how fast time had flown by.

Kakashi had kept her up to date with their training. She hadn't given him a choice. The man had run them ragged, and she loved every detail of it. Sicking his muts after them was her particular favorite highlight.

She was drawn out of her thoughts as she noticed the runt jogging towards her.

"What is it shorty? You better not be thinking you'll be getting any special treatment."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he chirped, ignoring her irritating nickname. His height had always been a sore point for him. "I just wanted to let you know I really am sorry for not checking in. I feel bad about it."

"Don't be," she chuckled as she gave him a noogie. "I know you're busy. It just wouldn't hurt to drop by every now and then. It just feels weird without you around. I remember a time when you wouldn't leave my hip."

"God, you're starting to sound a little old nee-chan," Naruto whistled, before he gulped and realized what he had just said out loud.

Anko's face darkened as she loomed over him.

"What was that you pipsqueak?"

"N-N-Nothing! I didn't mean it!"

She cracked her knuckles as she took another step towards him. "Do I need to give you another lesson in manners?"

As the Naruto shrieked at the imposing figure, Sasuke and Hinata watched a little off to the side.

"They certainly seem close," Sasuke commented as Anko started chasing down the boy.

"I'm just surprised he hasn't mentioned her as much," Hinata said as they watched Anko catch him in a headlock.

"I think he did mention a sister during our introductions," Sasuke muttered as he tried to recollect that day, "Either way, I'm not too surprised. Guy has a one-track mind. Besides, he loves those guys at that ramen stand he adores, but he's never chatting away about them."

"No," Hinata giggled as she watched Naruto pout from his scolding, "He's been too busy rambling about fuinjutsu."

Sasuke shook his head. "He's such a dunce."

Hinata arched her eyebrow and sent him a glare. "And just who was it that egged on Kiba and drew the attention of everyone in the room?"

He lightly blushed and diverted his gaze. "Fair enough," he grumbled under his breath.

Hinata smiled at his reaction. With every day that passed, she could notice Sasuke becoming more and more open with them. He was still very reclusive, but he was much better than he had been when they were placed on the same team. His lessons in kenjutsu had really done a number to help him relax.

Speaking of which, that reminded her that she and Naruto needed to start looking for Sasuke's birthday gift. She already had something in mind, but it just required finding the perfect fit. Sasuke had yet to find a perfectly balanced blade for himself. Many of the tantos that Kakashi would provide ended up being too short for his preferred reach. Since he felt it would only slow him down, he had opted out from bringing a sword with him during the Wave mission and the exams. He wanted to be fully comfortable with a blade and mastered his sets before he started taking one into battle.

She gazed over the remaining genin to see who had passed from the first test. She was glad that the other two rookie teams had passed as well. She noted that several teams from Sand and, the newly formed, Sound had also passed. She noted two or three teams from Waterfall, and was not surprised that the major team from Kumo had passed as well.

Of the three of them, the one who had been identified as Jay certainly talked the most. He was a chatterbox, walking from team to team and striking up conversations with the more amiable participants. She had wondered if it was a tactic to create alliances before the test; until, she noticed with some distaste that he seemed to mostly be targeting the female members of the teams.

She was reassured to notice that his teammates shared her look of disgust. The one she think was named Kai Moto was shooting Jay a dark look. He had rich, dark skin common to the people of their region and a shaved head. He was wrapped up in maroon and grey leather that seemed to function like a light armor.

The other teammate still sent chills down her spine. There was just something about him that rubbed her the wrong way. The one Kabuto had referred to as Ehl reminded her a bit of Sasuke with his cold indifference towards everyone else. He had spiky white hair a bit longer than Naruto's, and a blue scarf that covered his mouth.

She continued glancing over the remaining teams, and felt her breath get caught in her throat as she recognized one in particular.

Sasuke noticed her freeze up and followed her line of sight. He wasn't surprised when he saw Lee standing next to who he presumed were his teammates. The girl had her hair tied up into twin buns, and was casually chatting with Lee. The boy standing off to the side was who really caught his attention.

"So that's Neji," he asked as he stepped forward next to her.

"Y-Yes," she muttered as she tore her gaze away.

"You seem like you're almost scared of him," Sasuke commented in surprise

"I-It''s not that. It's just… something else," she muttered as she turned away.

Sasuke sighed and stepped in front of her.

"Look. You've been avoiding this for the past few weeks, and I've been happy to give you your space. However, I don't know what's going on here and if there is a problem, I need to know it. I don't want there to be an issue if we run into them during the exam. Either you can talk about it with me, quietly, or I bring Naruto over here, and we both know he won't take no for an answer."

Hinata was silent due to his direct approach as she weighed her options.

Eventually, she sighed and said, "Neji and I have a rather… difficult relationship."

"You've told me, but define difficult."

"He never usually comes out and says it, but he finds me too weak to be in the main house. When we spar, he'll be a bit rougher, than we both know is necessary. He'll make some off hand comments at times, but I know what he really thinks of me.

"So what? And what do you mean by houses?"

"The Hyuuga is split into two factions: the main house and the branch family. The main house does not exactly treat the branch members with the respect they deserve. They are treated almost like slaves and are forced to do the bidding of those of the main house and protect them with their lives."

"Sounds like you don't quite agree with this policy."

She shook her head before she continued, "Not at all. I find the practice barbaric and uncalled for. If I manage to become the Hyuuga matriarch, I plan on fighting for the removal of such policies."

"Then why does he hate you? Sounds to me like he should be supporting you in your quest."

She shifted her feet and tapped her fingers together. "He holds a deep grudge that is not exactly unfounded. He fully blames my father for the death of his own, and, by extension, he blames me as well."

"That's stupid," Sasuke said as he folded his arms, "Thinking like that will only eat away at you. No one should hold a grudge like that."

Hinata was silent before she looked into his eyes and asked, "Then why are you?"

Sasuke was seriously caught off guard by her comment. She ignored his reaction and pressed on.

"Naruto might not know the full details of what happened that night, but I do. Neji isn't the only one letting a grudge consume them."

Sasuke clenched his teeth as he broke eye contact with her. "That's different."

"Is it?" she asked as she drew back to her normal height. "Sasuke-kun, you have certainly been getting better, but you still carry a massive chip on your shoulder that you are unwilling to let go of. You and Neji are more similar than you'd like to admit."

"There's a big difference between what happened to us."

"Maybe, but the end result is the same," she said as she started standing up to him. "You both can get so consumed by anger. It is easy to get sucked in and let those thoughts consume you."

"There is no reason Neji should harbor a grudge against you. I do have a reason. I have to hunt down my brother."

"I'm not saying that you shouldn't. He does need to pay for his crimes, but you shouldn't let your drive to catch him consume you in the process."

Sasuke reflected back to the similar thoughts he had faced during the start of their training. Upon realizing how much thinking about his brother was limiting him, he had reached out to find other activities to help ease his mind and help him relax. He had tried several activities, including some light gardening and reading. Kenjutsu came to the closest to filling the void, but he had yet to find that thing that truly calmed him and drove the thoughts of his brother out of his mind.

"I'm working on it," he sighed.

"That's all we can ask for," she said with a smile. She chuckled before she said, "Now, if we are done with our little therapy session, I believe we have a test to complete."

Sasuke chuckled and nodded as they turned back to their blonde teammate, who was saying his final goodbyes to Anko.

She rustled his hair one last time, and Naruto jogged back up to their group.

"And?" Sasuke asked as he ran up.

"You don't have to worry. Nee-chan isn't going to be giving us any special treatment, just because she know me."

"Good," Sasuke nodded. He did not want to be coddled. He wanted to be tested on his merit alone, without any aid outside of his team.

"If anything she is going to be even harder on us," Naruto chuckled, "She can be quite the slave driver."

"I'm sure she's not that bad," Hinata chided.

Naruto shuttered as memories of being chased by massive snakes flashed through his mind.

"I'd actually be excited to meet her," Hinata started before Naruto cut her off.

"NOOO! You do not want to meet her. She can be such a demon!" he moaned as he leaned on Hinata's shoulder.

"You probably don't want them talking so she doesn't reveal anything embarrassing about you," Sasuke smirked as he started walking towards the gates.

"I've got nothing to hide teme, unlike some people," he replied with a smirk.

Sasuke stopped and sent him a frown. "What are you talking about dobe?"

Naruto darkly chuckled and Hinata widened her eyes as she realized what he was going to do.

"Naruto-kun, don't!"

"When were you going to tell us you had a girlfriend?" Naruto asked with a wide grin.

Sasuke's face went blank before he narrowed his eyes. "I don't. What are you talking about?"

"Really? Then who was that black haired girl you were sitting with at Ichiraku's awhile ago?" Naruto asked as he leaned on Sasuke's shoulder.

Sasuke was irritated the blonde had managed to find out about that, but he kept his voice level and said, "She's someone I owed a debt to. After I repaid her, she offered to go out to eat and I accepted. Nothing more, nothing less."

"So just friends?"

The concept felt odd to Sasuke, but he nodded. He guessed he could call them that.

"Liar. You don't have friends," Naruto said as he crossed his arms.

"Naruto-kun! That was very rude," Hinata chided as she sent him a reprimanding glare. He flinched and realized that had been uncalled for.

"You're right. I'm sorry. That was a little mean, but it's true. Teme, name one person you're friends with, besides us."

Sasuke was quiet as the thought actually surprised him.

"I guess I get along with Shino."

"Really? What's the longest conversation you've ever had with the guy?"

The dobe had him there. He and the bug user had less of a friendship, and more of a mutual respect. They felt comfortable in each other's presence and would listen to the other's input, but they had never really sat down and simply talked.

As Naruto shrunk under Hinata's stern gaze, Sasuke reflected about the dobe's brash comment. It was true. He didn't have a lot of friends. Not that he was actively trying to make them. He actually preferred being alone, but his recent self-discoveries to escape the influence of his brother had shown him just how productive being alone was getting him.

Hinata was worried when Sasuke continued to stay quiet. The last thing they needed was to be bickering just before entering the next test. She had been glad they had been able to wrap up their little dispute, but Naruto had opened a whole new one. These were things they eventually needed to get out, but now wasn't exactly the optimal time.

She was about to ask if he was okay, when an air horn rang across the area.

"Attention, ladies, gentlemen, and all you in between," Anko shouted through the megaphone, "I hope you're ready cause the second stage of the chunin exam is about to begin."

She spent the next few minutes explaining the rules, and they were simple enough. Find the opposite scroll, make it to the tower, and don't die.

Simple.

To ease the slight tension he felt from the team, Naruto had kindly offered Sasuke the position of carrying the scroll.

It seemed to have done the trick and snapped him out of it. The boy had cast him one of his usual smirks and gladly placed the scroll in his pouch.

Together, the three of them took their places along the metal gate and waited to be released. The dark forest loomed overhead, and they were ready to tackle it head on.

After five minutes, the red light next the gate flashed green, and they dashed off into the dark woods.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **We all know what's coming next chapter. Snakes, snakes, and more snakes.**

 **I am sorry I couldn't get this chapter out on Sunday. I wasn't pleased with the finished product, so I had to go back and make several alterations to it. Some of the moments just weren't hitting the right chord with me. This new product is much more satisfying to me.**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To JustADamFrenchFry) (btw that is a great username)**

 **I'm always happy to answer any questions you may have. Feel free to send them in your next review and I'll happily answer them in the following chapter.**

 **I try my best to keep updating on a rather frequent schedule, with 2 chapters a week at the minimum. A new chapter is almost guaranteed on Sunday. If not, then that usually means it's just pushed to Monday. The other chapter can be sporadic throughout the week. It just depends when I have free time.**

 **As for the mystery surrounding Kitsune, that is kind of the point. He is supposed to be a conundrum. He obviously has a very close tie to Naruto, but his true identity is under heavy lock and key. Since you're new, I will let you know his true identity won't be revealed for quite a while, but there will be hints and teases throughout the story. Actually, a big hint shall be coming up in the near future, during the third stage of the exam. Kitsune is actually getting his own gaiden story during the time skip.**

 **As for who was being more stupid, I'd say a mixture of both. They are both kind of reckless and like to charge at things headfirst.**

 **(To crono3553)**

 **Can't talk too much about Neji. He does have a place in the story, but it is very similar to his canon counterpart. He will have a different method of making up with Hinata, however. I think a lot of you will enjoy that moment.**

 **I am actually going to address the origin of the caged bird seal relatively soon.**

 **(To The Flare Blade)**

 **I'll keep it in mind to give a better description of her next time she appears. I did describe her in her first appearance, but I realize it has been a while and she is an OC. People will need a reminder. I guess she would bear somewhat of a resemblance to Kurotsuchi, due to their relation. However, she has long, black hair and is a couple years younger than Kurotsuchi when we first met her.**

 **Honestly, a lot of people usually criticize me for going too slow. The reason I skipped over certain moments in the Wave Arc is because we've all read them before. You know it, I know it, we all do. I don't think we need to go over Inari's speech again. In fact, I've been doing this for a couple long speeches from canon, for example Ibiki's monologue about information. This is because I am limited with space as it is, and I didn't want to waste time repeating key speeches that we've all read in the manga and other fanfictions before. IT just gets repetitive for some readers. However, certain parts are just too prevalent to pass up (Ex: talk with Haku, Naruto's outburst with Ibiki). If I have to, I like to spin my own twists on these events.**


	32. Chapter 32 - The Forest of Serpents

***Sorry for the delay. Been busy for reasons that will be covered in the Author's Notes. Good news though: due to my guilt for the lack of chapters and my sudden, extensive amount of free time, you guys should be getting quite a few chapters in the next few days.**

Chapter 32 – The Forest of Serpents

"Admit it. We're lost."

"Shut up. No we aren't."

"Really? We have no idea where we are or where the tower is. I'm pretty sure that fits the definition of lost."

"And whose fault is that?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Who was it that lead the way again?"

"Are you trying to say something, dobe?"

"Maybe I am, teme!"

"Please you two. Knock it off!"

As the boys shouted back and forth, three shadows silently crept through the bushes towards their oblivious prey.

"God, they're loud," the girl huffed as the boys from Konoha drew face to face and continued their shouting match.

"Idiots," one of the boys scoffed, "But that just makes it easier for us. Those brats won't know what's coming. Let's get this done."

The three Sound genin nodded and began circling around to the back of the dark haired girl for a better vantage point. After sharing a glance, they shot off towards the distracted genin. In a single stroke, each of them easily stabbed their kunais straight through the foolish genin's skulls. Killing was frowned upon during the exams, but it wasn't exactly forbidden either.

Their confidence was short lived as each of their targets disappeared one by one in a puff of smoke.

The girl's voice was caught in her throat as the ground below them started glowing in large, intricate pattern.

"Oh sh-"

The curse did not even have time to leave her mouth before all three of them slammed into the ground. One of the boys spat out blood as he struggled to get to his knees. He had nearly bitten off his own tongue from the force of his decent.

The girl clenched her teeth as she too fought to stand up. Her whole body felt like lead. Basic movements suddenly felt like an impossible struggle. Even attempting to raise her arm now felt like trying lift 50 pounds.

What the hell was going on?

"Hey. How's it going?"

The Sound team froze and paled as they noticed the army of the blonde hair that had suddenly materialized out of nowhere. Throughout the clearing, about fifty sets of striking, blue eyes bore straight down at them.

The team felt their stomachs twisting into knots as a wry grin split apart on every face bearing down on them.

"Wonderful day for hunting," they said in unison as they dropped from the tress and descended on the immobile team.

* * *

Naruto blinked a few times as his mind was hit from the new feedback.

"Trap two was just sprung. They are checking for the scroll now."

Sasuke took the second to glance back and give him an approving nod, before returning his sharp gaze back out into the dark forest that enveloped them.

The moment they had been given the signal, they had bolted into the forest and didn't stop running for about twenty minutes. After assuring that they were alone, they huddled up and voiced their thoughts on what to do. Each of them had their own ideas for the exam, but they eventually settled to go with Sasuke's plan.

It was quite simple: hole up, plan out several traps, and then send out the blonde's clones to do the dirty work. That way, they could all conserve chakra for any direct confrontation they might face and for whatever the third exam had in store for them.

If the clones ran into any danger, they would simply be dispelled and their experience of the attackers would be sent back to Naruto.

Although it was his own plan, Sasuke did not feel comfortable just sitting around waiting for the blonde's clones to do all of the work. He was itching for action, but, even he knew that these exams weren't simply about proving your strength and skill. They were about demonstrating your mental discipline and ability to prepare and execute a well-thought out plan. Besides, if things kept amping up the way they had in this stage, he was sure he'd get his fair share of action down the line.

As more feedback came through, Naruto smirked and reopened his eyes.

"We did it. They have an Earth scroll, or rather, _had_ an Earth scroll," he chuckled as he started to stand up.

Sasuke smirked as he pulled away from the roots. They were almost done here. Their first trap had been successful, but had unfortunately yielded in another Heaven scroll. Still, it was always good to have a spare.

"How long until we can regroup with your clones?"

"Hard to say," Naruto replied as he stood back up, "It just depends if they run into anyone else on their way back. There are a few scattered off by themselves to observe the other teams, but most are too far away to help the units with scrolls."

"It goes without saying, but order the groups to protect the ones carrying the scroll and meet up with us on our way to the tower. Inform the others by themselves to keep scouting, and let them decide if they want to step in if they run across other teams."

"Gotcha," Naruto nodded as he summoned another clone to relay the message. Sasuke turned back to Hinata, who was continuously scanning the forest with her byakugan.

"Anything?"

She shook her head as she frowned.

"There was a team from Sand that passed by about five minutes ago, but they were never heading in our direction. They just skimmed tip of my range and left just as quickly as they arrived."

Sasuke noticed the displeasure on her face. She had hid it, but he had noticed she seemed uncomfortable ever since she had taken watch.

"What's wrong?"

"Something is not right here," she replied as she deactivated her byakugan. "This forest… it almost feels like its alive. Not just the trees and animals, but the entire ecosystem itself. The air holds such a sinister aura to it. It just feels unnatural."

"What else?" Sasuke frowned. Naruto also began listening in to their conversation as his clone dispelled himself to relay the message.

"When I activate my byakugan, something is blocking the extent of my vision. I can't see further into the forest than I should be able to. Everything eventually just fades into murky shadows the further I look. It's almost feels like the forest is fighting against me."

"That could be part of the test," Naruto replied placing a hand on his chin, "They wouldn't just throw us in some random forest together just to thin out our numbers. There has to be a second purpose just like the first exam, and maybe that includes dealing with the forest fighting out abilities."

"Possibly," Sasuke mused, "In any case, we have the scrolls. Let's just find the tower and finish this exam. The clones will meet us en route. The sooner we get there, the less traps we'll have waiting for us from enemy teams."

They nodded and one-by-one slipped out from their little safe haven. As Naruto walked out from the roots, he stumbled as a surge of new memories struck his mind with an almost physical force.

His eyes bulged and he leaned against the roots as the phantom pain his clones had endured wracked his body.

"Naruto-kun! What's wrong?" Hinata asked as she doubled back and helped him up.

"What happened?" Sasuke asked, a little shaken from the boy's violent reaction.

Naruto's eyes widened as more and more feedback came through. "The third trap failed," was all Naruto could reply as the memories of his bones being crushed repeated over and over in his mind.

Usually, the memory of the clones' pain never really bothered him that much. If the clone was dispelled by something like punch or stab wound, it would barely register in his mind, but this was different. They were being torn apart, figuratively and literally. Their bones were being crushed and ground to dust. The fact that all of their memories were crashing into him in such a small timeframe just amplified the sensations of phantom pain.

"We…really need to avoid the team from Suna," he gasped as he took the bottle of water Hinata offered him and gulped it down.

"Why? What happened?" Sasuke asked, getting slightly annoyed and secretly worried by the boy's vague responses.

"All of them. The clones were crushed, and I mean that literally. They didn't even see it coming. The clones disguised as us were taken out immediately, and their entourage barely lasted a minute."

He winced and shook his head. "The clones in the trap were impaled at the start. Failing to get us seemed to just piss the guy off. I've never seen anything like it. It was almost as if the sand was…alive. It tore through the rest of the clones around him."

Sasuke was silent as he digested this new information. He felt a chill race down his back and stared off into the trees. This whole forest just made him uncomfortable. Its heavy atmosphere and dangerous inhabitants were putting him on edge. They needed to get out of the forest, the sooner the better.

"Come on. Let's just meet up with the clones and finish this. This place gives me the creeps."

They all nodded and, as soon as Naruto could catch his breath, the three shot off into the woods.

As they dashed away, a pair of yellow eyes watched from the darkness. The figure dropped into the clearing without a sound and stared after them. It cocked its head and a sadistic smile lit up its face as it stared off in their direction.

It had finally found its prey and it was excited.

* * *

After receiving the message from the boss, the clones around the forest began mopping up their work. The two main groups securing the scrolls were on an intercept course with the originals, while the rest branched off doing their own thing.

Some had decided to embrace their mischievous nature and cause trouble for a few of the other teams. They'd toss in an exploding tag or get a punch in before they would disappear. One particular clone had been dispelled after a rather nasty kick to the head courtesy of Lee.

While many clones sought to cause trouble, there were others that couldn't help but try to help some of the teams. They couldn't help it. It was just part of the fabric of their creator. He was just too empathetic for his own good.

One clone had caught a glimpse of the Kumo team fleeing from some unknown assailant. One teammate was bleeding profusely from his leg.

The chatterbox of the group had seemed uncharacteristically somber as he carried his teammate away from whomever they had faced. The clone had tried to offer his help, but was shut down immediately by a kunai straight through his forehead courtesy of the silent one.

A few of the others had slightly better luck reaching out to other teams. One clone had managed to run into Team 8, and happily served as bait for them to trap an enemy team.

Pretending to have been cut off from the rest of his team, the clone had served as the distraction as Sakura weaved a powerful genjutsu over a team from Waterfall. By the time the leader realized what was happening, Kiba and Akamaru were drilling into them with their Tsuuga. After helping Shino take down the remaining member, the clone was happy to let them take the scroll that they needed.

Fulfilling his promise to pay Sakura back, the clone had given them a cheerful salute before racing off.

He kicked off the tree branch as he raced further and further into the dark depths of the forest. He was running low on chakra and he knew it. He was considering just dispelling himself when a piercing scream off to his right caught his attention.

It could have been a trap, but it wouldn't really matter considering he was a clone. Besides, he just couldn't help himself. Whenever someone was in trouble, he just had to reach out.

* * *

She felt her back press against the bark of the tree and her heart sank. Her hands shook as she gripped the kunai in her hand and pointed it at the massive beast looming over her. Though, compared to it, the kunai could barely be considered a toothpick.

Tears stung her face as she noticed her teammates behind the massive creature racing away in fear. Of course the bastards would run! They never cared! No one over did!

She closed her eyes and cried as her miserable life drew to a close. What was the point? Her mother was gone, and the village didn't care about her. She was just a tool for them.

She sunk to the ground as the collossal centipede clicked its massive tendrils and knelt down to finish things.

She clenched her eyes, waiting for it to be over.

Suddenly, she was bathed in blistering heat and her vision flashed white. The massive creature squealed in agony and reared back on its many legs as it was consumed in a raging, yellow inferno. It fell on its back and began writing on the ground trying to put out the consuming fire.

She was shocked as a figure landed in front of her and continued his harsh attack. The massive creature's thrashes were greatly disturbing as it wriggled in agony. Eventually, the beast came to a stop and a disgusting stench filled the air.

The boy wrinkled his nose and waved away at putrid smell. He put on a brave face as he turned around and faced the terrified girl.

"Oh man that stinks. Sorry about your bastard teammates. They should be ashamed for abandoning their teammate."

He reached out his hand, but she was too astonished to take it. She had just accepted her fate and had been willing to die, yet here came this stranger and just saved her.

"Why? Why did you save me?"

"Why not? I was passing by and you were in trouble. That is always reason enough to help someone."

He ignored her surprise and grabbed hold of her wrist and lifted her up. He offered her a reassuring smile as he picked up her glasses, which had slipped off her face during the attack.

"Ignore them. For abandoning their teammate, those guys are less than trash," he said as he offered her the glasses, "If they are being assholes, don't listen to them. If they call you weak, prove them wrong. That's my mentality, and it has gotten me far through my life."

She trembled as she quietly nodded her head and placed her glasses back on.

"Anyways," he shrugged, "I gotta get going. I'm basically out of chakra as it is. I understand if you'd might drop out due to the lack of support from your teammates, but if you want to keep going, stay away from the Northwest. Some of the major heavy hitters are over in that direction. Good luck!"

With that, the blonde boy gave a salute and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Just as quickly as he had appeared, the strange boy vanished. The red haired girl whipped her head around as she tried to discover where he had gone. Even with her sensory prowess, she couldn't pick up head or tail of the strange boy's chakra anywhere near her.

Karin adjusted her glasses as she quietly stared at the smoking carcass of the massive centipede.

Just who had that been?

* * *

Naruto stumbled as he nearly missed the next branch along his trajectory.

That does it. He needed to deal with this now.

He dropped down from the canopy, and was shortly followed by Sasuke and Hinata behind him.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked as his red eyes darted across the tree line, scanning for potential attacker he might have missed.

"Ugh, I can't take it. I-I'm sorry, but I have to go. REEEAAALLY bad," Naruto whined as he hopped up and down.

Sasuke wanted to slap himself in the face, and shot the dobe a cold glare.

"We are in the middle of the exams. Just hold it."

"I caaaaaan't," he whined, squirming in place, "I wanted to go after the first exam, but nee-chan held me up. I'll be right back. I promise."

Sasuke scoffed as he deactivated his sharingan. "Just get it over with," he grunted as he turned his back to the blonde.

Naruto yelled out a thank you and shot off towards the brush. Before he entered the foliage, he turned to Hinata and called, "Hinata-chan. I would greatly appreciate it if you wouldn't take peak with those lovely eyes of yours."

She squeaked louder than she ever had before, and her byakugan was shut off in an instant. Sasuke rolled his eyes and sent the chuckling blonde a glare.

"Hurry up. We're wasting time."

The boy nodded and ran off into the woods to go about his business.

It was very unfortunate Hinata had deactivated her byakugan. If she hadn't, she would have noticed the new chakra signature that had just arrived and was watching over the two dojutsu users.

The yellow eyes turned away from its main prey and followed the disturbances in the foliage, as the blonde boy ran off into the woods.

' _Far_ _too perfect,'_ the creature smirked and raised its hands to its mouth, before sinking its teeth into its thumbs.

It wouldn't do for the brat to teleport his prizes away before he was done playing with them.

He would need his own playmates.

* * *

"Aaaaaaaahhhhhh," Naruto sighed as the soothing feeling of relief washed over him. He closed his eyes and let the chilling atmosphere of the forest and exam melt away, as he took the next minute to unwind and finish up his business.

He gave himself a little shake and started to zip up his pants, when he finally noticed the discrete sounds of crunching emanating behind him. He got ready to turn around, but froze when something wet brushed against the back of his neck.

His spine tingled and he fought to hold his composure as he slowly turned himself around to come face to face with a giant snake staring straight back at him.

He was so surprised he couldn't move. This snake…it was way too big to have been summoned by nee-chan. Her snakes never got bigger than a horse, at best. This thing was the size of a house, no, multiple houses.

He slowly started to step back from the massive creature, but his discrete movement only served to set it off.

In a flash, it snapped forward and engulfed him.

The snake tilted its head back as it swallowed the young boy whole, before lying back on the ground. After a few seconds, its eyes widened and it started violently flailing on the ground. Its body shook in a frantic frenzy and it bit down into its own hide again and again, attempting to stop whatever was causing it such discomfort.

Suddenly, the tail end of the beast exploded as yellow flames shot out from its abdomen. The beast hissed to the sky, and let out something similar to a roar before slamming into the ground.

Out from the charred body a figure emerged, who immediately began coughing up a storm. Naruto could only cry out in disgust as he attempted to wipe off the mixture of blood and stomach fluids covering his clothes and hair.

His reprieve was short lived as three more massive snakes entered the clearing.

"Oh…shit," was all he could muster as the snakes reared up and stared down at him.

He stared up at the massive serpents and only smirked. Oh, they were going to pay for getting the drop on him, especially, during his private business.

He raised his hand up to his face and bit his thumb.

* * *

Sasuke tapped his foot as he stared off in direction the blonde had disappeared. This was just getting ridiculous.

"He's taking far too long," he muttered under his breath.

"Maybe we should go and check on him?" Hinata replied.

Despite the situation, Sasuke smirked and sent her a glance. "If you want to check on him with your byakugan, then go ahead, but I'm not carrying you if you pass out from seeing something on accident."

Her cheeks flared red and she sent him a light jab to the shoulder.

She was about to retort, when she noticed someone approaching from the shrubs.

"About dam time," Sasuke scoffed as he stared at the approaching mess of blonde hair, "I was beginning to wonder-"

He was cut off as Hinata grabbed and yanked him behind her. The veins around her eyes burst to life as she glared at the figure before you.

"Who are you and what do you want?" she asked in a cold voice. No matter how many times he saw it, Sasuke would never get used to watching Hinata switch from the cutesy, shy princess to the cold, fierce kunoichi.

The impersonator paused before a predatory grinned crept along his face. It was unsettling to see such a look on the usually jovial boy.

"My, my, my, you Hyuuga always impress. I think that was barely two seconds before you saw through my little genjutsu. Brava, Hinata-chan," the figure smirked before its face started to contort into that of a woman slightly older than them.

"I have been looking forward to this," the woman mused as she gazed at the two genin before her. "The last Uchiha, the prodigal son of a dead clan and the compassionate Hyuuga. The only one chosen by the Hyuuga stone ring to reveal its secrets."

Both of their voices caught in their throats as the gravity of the situation hit them like a ton of bricks. It was impossible. No one outside of the clan council or her family and friends even knew about its existence.

"H-How do you know about that?" Hinata called out, her voice slightly cracking under the pressure.

The woman simply raised her arms and grinned at them.

"Oh, I know many things. Knowledge is power after all, and if there is one thing I crave its sheer," she licked her lips as her eyes gazed up and down the two genin, "unadulterated, power."

A bead of sweat rolled down Sasuke's brow. He grit his teeth as he glanced around the forest weighing his options. Of course, the dobe had to decide to run off now.

The woman caught his gaze and chuckled.

"Oh, there is no running away from this little ones. You both are far too interesting to just let you scamper off. We haven't had our fun."

"I don't really think I care about your version of fun," Sasuke muttered as his eyes flashed red.

The woman's eyes widened with glee at the sight of the familiar, spinning tomoe.

' _There it is!'_ the attacker thought, internally giggling at the sight.

"Oh, I think you will be very interested in what I have to say, Sasuke-kun, but that all depends on your performance. If you both live up to my expectations, I may even give you each a little gift. If you don't, well…let's just say I would be horribly disappointed," the woman finished in a pout before another smirk plastered her face.

"Let's begin."

Immediately, their whole world shifted as the atmosphere suddenly became heavier than they could bear.

Sasuke could barely breath as the toxic presence flooded the air. This was just insane. He had felt the full brunt from the Demon of the Mist, and Zabuza still had nothing on this guy.

Hinata collapsed to her knees as the overwhelming negative thoughts resurfaced her darkest fears and memories of the clan. The condescension. The disdain. The dissapointment. It all came reeling back from the dark corners she had suppressed them.

Tears threatened to fall from her face as she struggled to gaze up at the monstrous woman strolling towards them.

Wh-what the hell was she?

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **A lot to go over in this section. Sorry for the delay. It will be covered below. Sorry for the cliffhanger, there was just not enough room. I think I might have replied to too many reviews in this chapter.**

 **First and foremost: you guys are awesome. You did it. We have broken over a 1000 followers. That's just incredible. Thank you all so much for taking time out your busy lives to read through this side project, which has become more popular than I could have imagined.**

 **Secondly, I have some bad news guys. Something has come up that will seriously affect my writing schedule. Guys… Pokemon Sun and Moon are finally out. (Expected reaction: -_-) Don't worry, I will have plenty of time over the Thanksgiving break and my bus rides home and back. Was super busy with Calculus during the week, and I was preoccupied on Friday and Saturday for reasons that totally do not relate to that thing I just mentioned above.**

 **Things are heating up once again. We are out of the calm, relaxing period we've been mulling in for the past 5 or 6 chapters, and getting back into the action. Orochimaru has finally shown up to wreak mayhem, and he isn't just interested in Sasuke this time.**

 **Before you all ask, I wanted to throw Karin in there since she technically was participating in these exams. She didn't pass, obviously, but this was the time when she first met Sasuke. As you can see, I tweaked it a bit and made her collide with Naruto instead. I found it a shame that the two NEVER discussed how they were both Uzumaki. Come on Kishimoto, that's just wasteful and you know it. You shove flashbacks of how Naruto was lonely during his childhood and how he wanted a family down our throats, but you just skip over the first chance to actually introduce him to a living relative?**

 **For some of you who may not be the biggest Karin fans, DO NOT PANIC! I never really liked her clingy attitude, and don't intend on using it. I actually can enjoy her character during the times when she is more sarcastic, level-headed, and not "OH MY GOD SASUKE-KUN! TAKE ME NOW!" I plan to work with the more somber, emotionally hurt version of the character in the far future. Karin doesn't really have a big role in this story. Hell, Konohamaru will have a bigger role than she will, and he hasn't even been mentioned yet! In fact, you aren't going to see her again until Shippuden.**

 **Will I bring up how they are related down the line? I don't know. It's not like I just had a tiny rant about how it was a waste to neglect it or anything. :)**

 **Anyways, as yet another mystery was hinted at with Naruto in this chapter, I decided it would be a good time to ask you guys a question. What secrets and underlying plot threads are you most excited for? Is it the mystery surrounding Hinata's summons, Yuuta's secret plot, what happened to Ria's abducted brother, or Kitsune's true identity. Sound off in the reviews what you're looking forward to and discuss where you think this is all heading.**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To crono3553)**

 **I do have something big planned for the seal's origin. It is going to tie into our overarching plot rather nicely. If you couldn't tell, I take great care to incorporate as much of the Hyuuga history into this story as possible. Hinata is our main heroine and she is going to get the attention a main character deserves. That goes for Sasuke and Naruto as well. Each of them deserves equal spotlight on this stage, and I am going to give it to them. But I'm getting off topic. The seal's origin is actually coming up relatively soon (Well, I use "relatively soon" very freely here. It's before the Tsunade arc, let's leave it at that.)**

 **Yes, I was implying that Anko and Kakashi are in a relationship. If you look back, you may notice Kurenai made an offhand comment about how close they actually are (I believe it was Chapter 15).**

 **(To Apfane Chan)**

 **Glad to hear you're enjoying the story. Kitsune has been the most fun to outline in this project. Trust me, it will take a loooong time for his full story to be revealed, but it is going to floor you when the final secret is revealed.**

 **(To InfinityMask)**

 **Kind of hard to make out some of this message, but I'll work with it. I'll see what I can do regarding using clones for testing seals. Honestly, Naruto will probably figure that out himself.**

 **I can't talk about why the Kumo team is there. Those would be spoilers. I can say that they were not from canon. You probably read that idea from another story.**

 **(To AntiCreator)**

 **I can soothe your worries and confirm that Kitsune is not Obito. Tobi/Obito has already been revealed in this story. As to his identity, I will not confirm nor deny any statements. The ANBU title of Kitsune is definitely an OC, but I will not say any more on the matter. You just have to trust me that his identity is not completely out of left field or bizarre.**

 **Btw, I did not say his identity would be revealed in the time skip. I said there would be more hints during his Gaiden story, not a confirmation.**

 **(To ND99sama)**

 **No problem. Glad to hear it's working again.**

 **As for Ria, she did offhandedly mention she had a brother to feed during their first meeting, so Sasuke does know she is supporting her younger brother.**

 **I think it might just be the phrasing of your comment, but it sounds like you think Kitsune is out of the village. I think you might have meant you're excited to see him returning to his investigation, but, again, your comment was just open to interpretation. Just to be clear, he is in the village as of right now.**

 **As for Naruto and Jiraiya, they were working on security seals placed along the walls of the village. The ring around Konoha serves to protect against invading forces, so I believe they would have backed it up with seals to further its effectiveness. They were reapplying seals that would not allow enemy shinobi to wall-climb up the ring and checking on reinforcement seals.**

 **Thanks for the encouragement**

 **(To NaTLs)**

 **…I know there is a joke there, but I'm sad to say I'm just not getting it.**

 **(To Ramen Kurama)**

 **Thank you. Huli is from Mandarin. It is quite literally the word for fox. Tried to be a bit more creative than that, but I wasn't exactly looking to comb through Chinese/Japanese fox mythology for an analogous character.**

 **(Regarding Hiashi) Seems a little out of place, but I'll see what I can do. Could maybe create a little Omake to the end of a chapter if I have the time.**

 **(Regarding the lore) Yes, that is correct.**

 **I wasn't going to mention the troll this time, but I feel obligated now. Weird to see him still kicking and screaming. At least he changed his material from the last time. I just don't get it. If he doesn't like the story, why does he keep coming back? No one's forcing him. Makes no sense to me, but hey, it doesn't matter. What's ironic is with every negative review he gives me, the more popular the story becomes. Just adds another number to the review list that helps draws people in. The more he tries to lash out, the more he is actually helping me.**

 **(To HolySheet)**

 **That is fair, and Hinata does say that these two situations are different. Sasuke is justified for wanting revenge, but he is letting it take over his life. Sasuke was put through severe mental trauma and was impressively able to recover from it (to an extent).**

 **What I was trying to say was that it isn't healthy to obsess over something so negative and let it consume your life to the point where it is the only thing that matters to you. Sasuke's sole purpose in life since that day has been killing his brother. It has been the obsession of every waking moment of his life. It's fine to have a goal and his is certainly a just one, but letting such hate fueled thoughts cloud your mind and time prevents you from enjoying life. Hinata was pointing out how he may believe Neji is acting foolishly, but he was acting in a very similar manner.**

 **If you think about it, Neji and Sasuke are very similar. Natural born geniuses from prominent doujutsu families, who are exceedingly proud of their natural talent, but bitter and traumatized by unfortunate events regarding their families during their youths; unfortunately still clinging to their hatred for someone because of an event out of their control for many years.**

 **I may have to reread this chapter and make adjustments to be sure that what I intended got across.**

 **(To )**

 **Really? (Goes off and checks Naruto wiki) Holy crap you're right! I was just playing off of the naming theme that Kumo seems to follow. I had no idea that there already was someone named Jay. Oh well, I'm not planning on changing it. The two are not similar in anyway regarding their looks and personality. As for Karui and Omoi, there were a few reasons I didn't choose them. It's been done before, and I did't feel like they are intimidating enough. I wanted new characters and fights to liven up the exams and add my own**


	33. Chapter 33 - The Mark

Chapter 33 – The Mark

Even though his eyes could track the motion of the punch, Sasuke could do nothing as the woman firmly planted her fist into his face, sending him flying back into a tree.

 _'Why? Why is it always the face?'_ he internally groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. As his sharingan registered what was in front of him, his eyes shot open and he ducked from the incoming blow.

The wood splintered under the force of the impact, and the woman's fist buried up to her wrist into the trunk. Sasuke caught her backhand strike from her free hand and jumped away as she effortlessly yanked out her other arm.

He raced through seals as fast as he could, before letting loose a giant ball of fire at the woman.

She merely smirked and raised her arm as a massive brown snake erupted from her sleeve. It opened its wide jaws and simply swallowed the impending fireball whole. Its cheeks puffed from the muffled explosion, and it angrily hissed at him as smoke spewed from the corners of its mouth.

Sasuke was shell-shocked as the massive serpent retreated back into the woman's sleeve. He trembled as he took an unconscious step backward. That smug smile grew even larger at the sight of his movement. In the blink of an eye, she shot off towards him once again.

He grimaced and reached for his kunai bag, but paused when her overwhelming killing intent slammed into him once again. His split-second hesitation was all she needed to plow another painstaking punch into his gut.

Not giving him a moment of reprieve, she swept out her foot and knocked his legs out from under him. As he fell forward, she spun around and slammed her elbow into his back, smacking him into the ground.

"Oooh. Tsk, tsk Sasuke-kun. I expected much more from Itachi's little brother," the woman taunted as she placed her heel on his back.

That particular comment got a rouse out of him, and he sent her a horrid glare, which was accented even more by his glowing, red eyes.

She merely chuckled and sent out another wave of killing intent directly at the boy. He shivered and clenched his eyes as the nauseating feelings of fear and bloodlust washed over him again.

It was sickening.

"If you can't overcome this little parlor trick, how do you expect to overcome a man so well versed in illusion? Perhaps you aren't as special as this village seems to claim," the woman mused as she drove her heel further into his back, causing him to cry out in pain.

"S-Stop it!" a tiny voice cried out behind them.

The woman turned her head over her shoulder to glance at Hinata, who was just starting to climb back to her feet.

"Maybe you will be more entertaining to test, little Hyuuga," the woman said and directed her killing intent back at the girl.

Immediately, she locked up again and collapsed back to her knees.

Her breath came in deep bursts as she tried to overcome the dark shadows creeping up from her mind. She noticed the woman casually strolling over to her now, and desperately tried to stand up; however, she couldn't do it. Her body was just frozen in fear. She desperately tried to form words, but they just got caught in her throat.

"Now you are intriguing to me as well, Hinata-chan," the woman mused as she stood in front of the kneeling girl, "The quietest Hyuuga imaginable, yet you somehow unlocked the secrets to that dusty old stone the Hyuuga have locked away under their library. Humph, as if that would keep it hidden."

Hinata clenched her eyes shut as she tried to block out the woman's words and focus on moving.

"I had low expectations, but I have to admit that you are disappointing me too. I expected so much more from that emotionally dead clan of yours. They just love to boast about their superior eyes and unbreakable resolve, yet you can't even break free from something as silly as this," she said as horrid atmosphere seemed to double in pressure.

Tears stung Hinata's eyes again. This woman was just too much for her. She could not fight someone like this. This woman was just in a league all her own.

A monster.

The woman sighed and raised her hand to her chin, as she knelt before the girl.

She seemed to be inspecting her over as she said, "Well, if this one won't work, I may just have to try the other. If it's just your eyes that allow you to read that stone, then maybe your sister will have the resolve I'm looking for."

Hinata's eyes shot open at this statement, and the harsh atmosphere draining on her disappeared entirely. Her bearing returned in an instant as her world grew cold and alert.

' _No_ …'

The woman ran a hand over Hinata's head as she trailed down toward her chin.

"If she can't decipher it either, I guess I could just transplant your eyes into her. She's just at that perfect age too. When children are at their most impressionable-"

Hinata's arm snapped forward and firmly gripped the woman's wrist. The woman was pleasantly surprised at the uncomfortable feeling. Her grin grew even wider as the girl raised her head and sent her a glare that would have sent lesser men quivering.

Her byakugan was flaring and those veins only accented her ferocious look.

The woman twitched as blue flames erupted around the girl's hand and shaped into a set of fangs. Orochimaru gazed in surprise as he felt his chakra rapidly being drained away from him.

He smirked and ripped off her hand and kicked away from her.

' _Good. Let's see this little mouse bear her fangs.'_

Hinata rose up, completely unaffected by the woman's killing intent, and glared at her. She settled into her basic jyuuken stance and began taking slow, deep breaths. She reflected back to her time in the woods with Kakashi during the Wave mission, and let her newly acquired chakra from the woman sweep through her body.

She bolted forward in a streak of white, and Orochimaru widened his eyes in surprise. With his superior agility, he was easily able to dodge the incoming blows, but he was impressed by the girl's sheer speed.

He backpedalled up the roots of a tree with the girl tearing after him. He ducked under her strike and felt the blue flames trickle over his body, sapping away at his massive reserves. Not enough to really drain him, but it would certainly put a hamper on a genin, or even a chunin for that matter.

She sailed overhead and slid up the bark of the tree as she tried to come to a stop. Once she gained a good footing, she shot back down towards the woman.

Orochimaru smirked as he jumped off the tree, into the clearing, and skid along the ground. She bounced after him and lunged at his head. He ducked under the blow and the following two punches, and started backpedalling out of the way of those nasty hands.

As the woman dodged yet another strike, Hinata was getting tired of it. She raced through hand signs and shouted, "Suiton: Pressure Stream!"

A torrent of water burst from her mouth straight at the woman, whose smile never left her face.

The creepy woman raced through her own seals and slammed her hands into the ground, casually saying, "Doton: Mud Wall."

The earth shot up in front of her, taking the force of the attack. Hinata internally frowned and started manipulating the jutsu. She decreased its radius, making the water and pressure more concentrated. The stream cleanly cut through the stone wall, forcing the woman to dive out of the way.

She scampered away from the wall closely tailed by the stream of water, and began racing through another set of signs.

"Fuuton: Shredding Vortex!"

She crossed her arms in an X-pattern and slashed them towards the girl. Immediately, a massive tornado erupted from her palms and shot straight at the girl. The column of wind hit the stream head on, sending water everywhere. Hinata canceled the jutsu as the water violently shot off in every direction, slashing into the dirt and trees. The moment she canceled the jutsu, the funnel of wind puffed away. The woman shot straight through the lingering mist, and was on her in seconds.

Hinata ducked under the oncoming strike and let her chakra flow throughout her body once again. She kicked off of the ground and sent a kick a the woman's head, which she dodged.

"Very clever," Orochimaru chuckled as he sent a kick of his own at the girl, which she managed slap out of the way, "It's impressive for someone your age to know about forcing. You knew it takes quite a toll on your chakra reserves, so you compensated for it earlier by combining it with your little draining technique. It makes you quite fast for a genin, but not quite fast enough."

To drive home that point, he whipped out and smacked her in the face sending her sliding back several feet.

She came to a stop and cut off the technique as she glared at him. She spat out some blood from the punch, her fierce stare never leaving the woman.

* * *

All the while, Sasuke growled as he fought to get to his feet.

He was such a coward! Hinata was giving her all out there and he needed to help her. He slammed his trembling fist into the ground, as fought every instinct he had to stand back up.

The mental images of his brother standing over him and taunting him echoed through his mind.

" _If you can't overcome this little parlor trick, how do you expect to overcome a man so well versed in illusion?"_ the woman's voice taunted.

Rage coarse throughout his body as he watched the woman slam her fist into Hinata's face.

He was tired of it! Tired of being powerless!

He was going to help her!

He _had_ to help her!

He could not loose anyone else! Not the dobe, and not her!

* * *

Orochimaru smirked at the resilient girl before him. Oh, she was beginning to actually be quite fun. He began to raise his hands in another hand sign, when he felt a presence rapidly approaching behind him.

He whipped a hand back to smack down his impending attacker, but was surprised when the blue blur ducked under the punch slammed his own punch into the sannin's stomach.

The boy caught his outstretched arm, and used it to twist around and deliver a right kick to the woman's exposed back.

Orochimaru grunted as he stumbled forward and yanked his arm free from the boy's grasp. He aimed a punch at the boy's exposed back, but was surprised as the boy's twisted around and caught it just in time.

The boy twisted around and sent his own punch at the man, and it was caught just as easily. The two stood deadlocked against each other, and the woman's face lit up in a grotesque smile.

Orochimaru stared deep into those glorious, red eyes and marveled at the new tomoe spinning wildly around the iris.

The boy's eyes had evolved!

 _Magnificent_.

The boy yanked their crossed arms away from each other, pulling the woman closer, and slammed the metal plate on his forehead into her face.

As she reeled back, he tore through the new hand signs he had seen the woman performing earlier. Thankfully, his sharingan had been active.

' _Thanks for the new material,'_ he internally smirked as he crossed his arms in the exact way she had.

'Fuuton: Shredding Vortex!" he cried as he slashed forward.

Orochimaru was surprised by the call and jumped away from the impending, razor-sharp winds. All the while, Sasuke raced through more hand signs and brought his hands to his mouth.

"Katon: Fireball Jutsu!"

The ball of fire surged forward and slammed into the roaring funnel. The fire fed off of the raging winds and raced forward with renewed vigor.

The woman widened her eyes in shock before she was enveloped in a storm of fire.

With his newly improved eyes, Sasuke could see into the raging fire and scowled. Where the woman had been standing was a sinking pile of mud.

Sasuke scowled and reached into his bag for a kunai.

His eyes detected the explosion of dirt the moment the woman started to spring from the ground, and be brought down the kunai with renewed force.

As stabbed at her, she whipped her arm up, causing the blade to sink into her palm. Seemingly unaffected by the action, the woman's other hand whipped forward and clenched his throat.

She chuckled as she lifted him into the air. He let out a hoarse noise as she crushed his windpipe, but never let go of this kunai. Even through the pain, he smirked at her as streaks of electricity danced along his arm.

The energy raced through the metal handle into the woman, causing her to drop the boy in surprise. She shouted in pain as electricity raced across her body.

Sasuke hopped back as Hinata raced passed him and struck woman square in the chest. She spun around and delivered a kick to her head, before firing off two water bullets point blank, sending the woman flying back into a tree.

The two genin panted as they took what little time they had to catch their breath. They were a little unhinged as they heard a quiet chuckle escape from the dust cloud.

The woman glanced down upon the two of them before straight up laughing at them.

They grimaced as the woman yanked herself free of the bark and dropped back down to the ground. Her head was leaned to the side like a curious puppy.

"Oh, now this is more like it," the woman cried as she licked her lips, "This is the kind of fun I was hoping for. Just a little bit more you two, and then you'll get to receive your prize."

Her smile threatened to split her face as she raced towards them again.

Sasuke pulled out a set of shuriken and launched them at the approaching woman. He raced through more seals and cried out, "Katon: Phoenix Fire Jutsu!"

The tiny balls of fire enveloped each of the shuriken along their path, and the flaming projectiles launched towards woman.

As the woman stopped and raced through her own seals, Sasuke reached into his bag and began pulling out wire.

The woman slammed her hands the ground causing a wall of rock to rise up in front of her, blocking the incoming debris.

She barely had a second to smirk as she noticed more shuriken flying around the wall in an arc. She gave them a cautious eye, before she noticed the glint of light reflecting off the wire.

She tried to jump to the side, but she was soon pressed against her own mud wall as the shuriken slung around the wall effectively tying her in place.

She reached for her kunai bag to cut through the wire, but cried out in pain as over a thousand volts raced through her system.

On the other side of the wall, Sasuke cut off the electricity as he finished his final hand sign.

" _Katon: Dragonfire Jutsu!"_ he exclaimed through clenched teeth as the fire raced down the wire towards the tied up woman. It slammed into the wall shattering it, setting the terrifying woman ablaze.

Hinata and Sasuke winced at the sounds of the woman's shrieks of pain as the fire raced over her skin.

Even though her screams were making him sick, Sasuke only cut off the jutsu after he was sure her screaming had stopped.

He panted as he fell to one knee. That had taken up over three fourths of his chakra.

Hinata was about to join him on the ground, when something from the pile of smoke caught their attention.

He wasn't one to curse, but even Sasuke couldn't help but mutter, "No fucking way…"

The blob of flesh that was left of the woman rose from the ground and hung there like a marionette.

They felt their voices get caught in their throats again, as the shape opened what they presumed was its mouth, and a white hand burst forth from it.

Another white hand stretched out and they were shocked as a slime-covered individual emerged from the seared carcass.

The figure smirked at them as it rose to its feet.

"Perfection," the woman uttered as she raised her hands to her mouth, "You've both done splendidly, and so here is your reward."

She bit into her thumbs and raced through three hands signs, before slamming her hands into the ground.

A cloud of smoke erupted around the woman, and, before they could react, several snakes shot forward and enveloped Sasuke.

Hinata began reaching for a kunai but was slammed away by a massive tail from within the cloud of smoke.

"Please wait your turn Hinata-chan. This requires some delicacy," the woman called from the top of the massive serpent's head.

Hinata winced at her massive bruise as she flipped through the air. Fighting through the pain, she caught hold of a branch and swung over it into a crouching position before turning back and staring down at the massive snake looming over Sasuke.

Things were getting out of control, even more than before. She desperately needed help.

Orochimaru glanced at the girl in the trees to make sure she wouldn't be causing anymore trouble, but his eyes widened in genuine surprise as he noticed her biting into her thumb.

' _No! She can not be allowed to summon!'_

Hinata raced through the three hand seals and raised her hand over her head. Before she could bring it down on the branch, she cried out in pain as a kunai pierced her palm. As she cradled her hand, Orochimaru appeared and slammed her towards the trunk. Ignoring her cries of pain, he grabbed the handle of the kunai, still embedded in her palm, and nailed her hand to the tree. Tears stung her face as she screamed in pain.

"Don't you go anywhere," he whispered before jumping down from the branches.

Sasuke struggled as best he could against the snakes tightening more and more around him, but he was just too exhausted. He panicked as he saw the woman drop to the forest floor and start strolling towards him.

' _Dobe! Where the hell are you?'_

* * *

White flames danced along the ground as a loud pop echoed throughout the forest clearing.

Naruto fell out of the cloud of smoke and dropped to the ground. He slowly rose to his feet as he inspected his handiwork. Three massive husks of what used to be living snakes were sprawled across the clearing.

Their once lush, purple scales were now seared black and the putrid smell of burnt skin hung in the air.

Naruto scowled as he glanced over the lingering bodies. He glared off in the direction of his team before darting away.

* * *

Sasuke struggled as hard as he could as the woman finally stopped right in front of him. He stared in horror as the woman reached up to her face and tore away at her flash, revealing a white skin tone. Her yellow eyes, highlighted by purple, were full of sadistic glee as she crossed her hands into a hand sign.

"Take this offering, little Uchiha. My gift to you," the woman said as she bent over his neck. Her canines extended into fangs as she bit down into his shoulder.

He screamed in agony as what felt like burning metal was seared into his neck.

The woman pulled away and the serpents all released the boy, before disappearing in a puff of smoke. She smirked as she stood over the twitching boy.

"If you survive this, you will come to me. Enjoy your new power Sasuke-kun, and know that I am very interested in how you develop down the line."

Sasuke cried out in pain as three tomoes appeared on his neck and a purple flame pattern began racing over his body.

' _Now, for the other one,'_ he mused as he turned his sights back to Hinata.

* * *

She leaned against the base of the tree as she cradled her hand. Green light bathed over the deep wound, and she desperately fought to hold back tears as she dealt with the overwhelming pain.

Sasuke's screams shook her out of her stupor, and she glanced down in horror as he wriggled on the ground.

"Don't worry. I haven't forgotten about you, Hinata-chan," the woman smirked as she landed on the tree branch.

"N-No s-stay away!" Hinata cried out as she desperately tried to back even further against the tree. The woman only seemed to delight in the girl's panic and chuckled as she raised her hands into the same hand sign as before.

"Oh, you may even enjoy this. Consider this a personality booster," Orochimaru smirked as his neck elongated and raced towards her neck.

With the sound of the crack of a whip, his neck shot back, flinging him off of the tree branch. Orochimaru slammed into the ground and glared back towards the tree at the navy clad blonde standing over his teammate.

Piercing blue eyes that he had been on the opposite end of once before, bore down on him in silent rage.

He was surprised when several clones burst from the underbrush and covered his remaining serpent summon. They slammed their hands down on his scales in unison, screaming, "Katon: Wrath's Inferno!"

The snake let out what seemed like a roar as fire burst from their hands and pierced through its hide all across its body.

As the serpent slammed into the ground with a thud, a clone dropped down from the canopy and scooped up Sasuke in his arms.

The original gently picked up Hinata in his arms, and the two disappeared in a yellow flash of light.

Orochimaru was silent as he retracted his neck back to its normal size. He absentmindedly rubbed his jaw as he glanced around the clearing. He gave the serpent's corpse a have second glance before rounding his head back to the tree branch.

He stood in silence for several minutes as he stared at the spot where the boy had disappeared.

A smile burst across his face as the ghosts of his past reared back to him.

"Spectacular."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Yes, it happened. I know some people didn't want it to, but the curse mark was inevitable in this story. Even I don't necessarily like making it happen, but it is an important part of Sasuke's character and for how I plan to alter his path in the future.**

 **For those of you hesitant with this choice, remember back to near the beginning when I stated my personal views of Sasuke and my plans for him in this story. He is not suddenly going to jump off the deep end and become evil. There is a plan in place, and you guys are just going to have to trust me to not disappoint with its execution. Won't say too much, but it should be pointed out that a certain blonde has been examining another curse seal for years now and attempting to find a way to remove it. Stay tuned.**

 **Regarding Hinata's summon, yes, I do have to tease you. It's too much fun. There is a designated time when it will be revealed. Trust me, you guys are going to like it.**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To Rhein rain go away)**

 **Almost got your wish this chapter, but no dice. Hehe, sorry. That reveal is planned out already, and I think you guys will like that particular fight. Will have a lot of cool moments and emotional bonding.**

 **(To Moonlit Melody)**

 **Good to hear from you again.**

 **(To Isangtao)**

 **I know exactly what you're talking about. That's something I know I should do, but I can name off the spots immediately where I did what you described. The first that comes to mind is the first description of Yuuta. I'm saving his first reveal for something special, so I felt I kinda had to info dump people about him. I'm really trying to convey things through actions, and not just words.**


	34. Chapter 34 - Metamorphosis

Chapter 34 – A Metamorphosis

With a swirl of wind, the four figures suddenly appeared and landed on the ground.

Naruto set down Hinata as gently as he could, before stumbling off towards a nearby tree. He leaned against the bark as the gut-wrenching pain washed over him. He did not want to embarrass Hinata and himself with a repeat of what happened during their mission to the lumberyard.

Thankfully, his clone had been kneeling when it picked up Sasuke, so, when he popped from the effects of the jutsu, Sasuke only fell a couple inches to the ground.

Hinata shook her head trying to overcome the disorientation. As soon as the world stopped spinning, she turned her attention back to her hand. She gently ran her finger along the newly formed tissue on her palm. There was now a diamond-shaped scar on both sides from her stab wound. The skin was sensitive to the lightest touch and sent needle-like pain up her arm, but that was the least of her problems.

She stopped examining herself and crawled over towards Sasuke, who was still twitching violently a few feet away. She activated her byakugan as she tried to find some way to ease his pain.

"What's wrong with him?" Naruto asked as he rushed back over.

"I-I've never seen anything like this. I don't even know what's going on. His chakra system is being overrun. There's a foreign chakra racing throughout his body, embedding itself in all of his chakra coils,"

"Where is it coming from?"

Hinata pointed at the base of Sasuke's neck, and Naruto felt his stomach churn all over again.

There was no mistaking that three-tomoed mark. He had gazed upon that same design for years, in a desperate struggle to make it up to one of the few people that had ever reached out to him.

He swore as he sunk to his knees and began examining the seal. He placed a hand out to touch the design, but quickly reeled back as a purple flame singed his fingers.

This was bad. This was really bad.

For someone who considered himself well versed in seals, he was really limited in what he could do here. During his time studying Anko's seal, he had frustratingly made no progress in finding a way to remove it. He had, however, developed a new curse sealing method that functioned even better than the one she already had.

A problem with the curse seal was that it was always beckoning its host to use its power. It would eat away at the mind, urging the host to give in and tap unto its chakra. It's beckoning would dramatically increase under situations of extreme stress or anger. The evil curse suppression seal served to limit its presence from them mind, but the curse seal would still rise up if the host were under strenuous circumstances. .

Naruto's version of the seal corrected that error. The seal blocked out the callings of the seal even when the user was under stress. However, the host could still draw on the power of the seal if they so desired, and the more they used its power, the more it would warp their mind. Even he couldn't undo the damage once it had been done.

Hinata began rummaging through her pouch for her medical supplies, but took the time to shoot Naruto a concerned look. "Are you okay, Naruto-kun? You were gone for an awfully long time. We were growing worried before that man showed up."

"I-I'm fine," he muttered as he continued to glare at the seal, "A few snakes held me up."

She was silent as he failed to elaborate any further. He was just too entrenched in his thoughts. She glanced down and felt her heart sinking further as she watched Sasuke twitch in his sleep.

"Is there anything you can do?" Hinata asked as she watched the boy intently stare at the pulsating seal.

He growled as he shook his head. "I have the tools, but there is not enough space or time right now. I have no idea how to remove this thing, and the curse suppression seal I have in mind would take way too long to apply, especially with the exams still going on. If we didn't have the other teams potentially breathing down our necks, I could probably have this thing done in four, maybe three hours."

He shook his head as his fist clenched the grass.

"I can't place an ordinary chakra suppression seal around it either. All that would do is create a buildup of chakra at the base of his neck. The pressure would keep growing and growing until it overcame the seal, and I don't know what kind of damage that would do to his system."

Hinata bit her lip and pulled out a handkerchief.

"Isn't there anything we can do?" she asked as she dabbed the sweat away from Sasuke's forehead.

Naruto grit his teeth and he shook his head.

"Dammit!" he cried as he punched the ground, causing Hinata to flinch from his outburst. She grew more concerned as he let out a weak chuckle.

"Some seal master I'm turning out to be," he murmured, "When it comes down to it, I can't even save one friend."

Hinata tentatively reached out her hand and rubbed his shoulder.

"I-It's going to be okay. I know you can figure this out. You always do. Besides, you said it yourself. You just need time. When we're done here, you'll have all the time in the world to get this sorted out. I'll help him as best as I can, so you just focus on getting us out of the forest."

Naruto was quiet before he took a deep breath and flashed her a light smile. She was right, as usual. He could do this.

He would do this.

But first thing was first. His clones needed to double-time it to their position.

The sooner they made it to the tower, the better.

Hinata was quiet as her mind finally had time to settle down after that whole debacle. She was honestly still shaking from her interaction with that twisted man. His mere presence had just felt so toxic, grading away at her and forcing her deepest fears and insecurities rise to the surface.

As she reflected on the man's words, one particular comment shook her like a storm.

" _…and the compassionate Hyuuga. The only one chosen by the Hyuuga stone ring to reveal its secrets_."

"N-Naruto-kun. H-He knew."

Naruto shot her a confused look. "He knew about what?"

She shivered as she stared him in the eyes. "The stone. He knew about the Hyuuga stone monument."

Naruto's face went white as the implications washed over him.

"H-How? I thought only you and the clan's crummy council knew about it. How could he know?"

She bit her lip as she felt her heart pulsing harder and harder as anxiety crept in.

"I don't know. I don't know. This is horrible. That is one the clan's most heavily guarded secrets. If he found out about that…"

"Who knows what else he knows about," he finished as the two were left with those uncomfortable thoughts.

Hinata unconsciously reached towards the back of her neck, to the one, blind spot within the byakugan's range.

* * *

 _2 Hours Later_

Hinata dabbed the wet handkerchief across Sasuke's forehead as she wiped away the new layer of sweat.

Thankfully, he was finally starting to settle down. His temperature was finally dropping and his chakra system no longer looked like it was about to burst. It still worried her that the vile chakra was still lingering inside his system. It was no longer rushing throughout his body, but it was still sitting there, as if it was waiting.

They had both wanted to move him, but they were worried about his condition deteriorating. It also would have been challenging for the both of them to keep an eye out for potential attackers and guard him, while on the move. Instead, Naruto wanted to wait until his clones met up with them and provided an entourage to the tower.

The clones had all gotten the signal and were converging on him now. With any luck, they could be there any second.

As Hinata closed her pouch, she felt a familiar sensation at the back of her neck that made her stiffen.

Living around other byakugan users for years helped develop a kind of sixth sense for whenever their distinctive gaze was turned on you. It was essential for a clan who could literally see through walls.

She whipped her head around and gazed into the trees to find the harsh, pale eyes staring right back at her.

In an instant, three figures dropped down from the trees and surrounded the group.

"Hello again, Hinata-chan. I wish we could have met again under better circumstances," Lee said mournfully as he blocked them off on the left.

Naruto sent the leader a glare, as he and Hinata took up a defensive stance around Sasuke.

"Please relinquish your scroll to us now, and we can avoid unnecessary conflict, Hinata-sama."

"Neji nii-san, please. Our teammate is gravely injured. We don't want to fight you."

Lee perked up at the word "injured."

"What has happened to Sasuke-kun?"

"Some crazy bastard bit him, and left a curse seal on him. That guy did not belong in the exams. The dam thing has been tearing through his chakra system every since," Naruto replied, never taking his eyes off the leader.

"Then we must get him proper treatment! We shall help and escort you to th-"

"No, Lee. We will not," Neji cut in.

"But Neji, they are our comrades and in need of assistance. We need to help them."

"We do not need to do anything. Right now, it is every team for themselves, and we have them at a disadvantage."

"I'm sorry Lee, but I have to agree with Neji on this one," Tenten said reluctantly, as she shot him a sorry look. "This is still an exam, and we need to focus on getting out of here as soon as possible."

As the team had their litter dispute, Hinata's mind was racing through the possible ways she could hold them off, while defending Sasuke. To be honest, the odds were heavily stacked against them. While she didn't think any of Team Gai would actually try to harm Sasuke, there was no way of telling that they wouldn't use him as a distraction for her.

She began to reach into her kunai pouch, but was surprised when Naruto caught her hand.

"Alright, if you just want the scroll, take it and leave," he said bitterly as he reached in his bag and tossed Neji the scroll.

"Naruto-kun! Are you sure?" Hinata asked astounded by his decision.

Naruto clenched his teeth and just nodded his head. He didn't like it, but he also really didn't like their odds here. Even if Sasuke were conscious, he would still be cautious about going head-to-head with Team Gai.

Sasuke and Hinata had already warned him how fast that Lee guy was, and if the girl's could use her sword as confidently as she was handling it, then she was no pushover either.

Then there was the Hyuuga, who seemed to be calling the shots. If the guy was commanding that kind of respect from Lee and his teammate, he was not someone to take lightly.

Neji ran a hand along the scroll and scanned it over once with his byakugan for any tricks. After confirming it was authentic, he smirked and placed it inside his bag.

"Then that settles that. Glad to see that you know when you are outmatched Uzumaki," he sneered, which earned a growl from the boy.

"Alright, we've got what we came for. Let's move out for the tower."

And with that, Team Gai burst away back into the trees.

* * *

Lee was silent as the team shot off through the woods. Leaving Team 7 like that just didn't sit right with him.

"I know what you're thinking, and you are not going back to help them," Neji called out without looking over his shoulder.

"This is not right Neji, and you know it. They are our comrades-in-arms, and you just want to abandon them."

"We are not abandoning them. This is an examination of their skill and ability to adapt as a team. If they cannot hold out, then they do not deserve the title of chunin. This is no place for rookies to begin with. The fact that they were even entered astonishes…"

He cut off and held up his fist signaling a halt.

They all halted on the next branch along their path and ducked behind the massive bark of the trees.

For about 4 minutes, the group stayed quiet as Neji's head swiveled, following some unknown target pass by them. After another few minutes of silence, he gave them the all clear.

"What was that about?" Tenten asked as they reconvened on Neji's branch.

"Three chakra signatures were approaching us very quickly. I thought they were gunning at us, but they diverted their course."

"Where were they headed?"

"Back towards Team 7," he replied. He was about to cut off Lee's inevitable nagging to go back and provide assistance, when something else entered the edge of his vision. He squinted not believing his eyes, as the wall of chakra seemed to jump into frame.

"What! Then we must help our youthful comrades! If we hurry, we can catch up to them!" Lee cried out as he turned to leave.

"There is no need," Neji replied as he shut off his byakugan. That much blue chakra was going to give him a headache. What he had seen truly surprised him. To think that this year's dead-last had that much chakra.

' _Uzumaki. There is more to you than meets the eye.'_

He turned to leave, and cast Lee a glance over his shoulder.

 _"_ Trust me. Uzumaki has things under control."

* * *

" _Give me ten minutes, and you would have been singing a whole different tune, you bastard,_ " Naruto muttered under his breath as he watched Neji and the rest of Team Gai jump away.

Hinata let out a sigh that she didn't know she had been holding, and walked over to him.

"That was a very mature decision. Are you sure you're okay with it?"

"I'm really not happy about it, but that was the right call," he sighed as he turned to her, "We didn't really need it anyway. The clones have a set coming on the way."

He turned and glanced back at their little, makeshift campsite.

"Let's start packing up. They should be here any minute."

She nodded and the two started packing and sealing away Hinata's medicine kit, as they got ready to leave.

After a few minutes, Naruto froze as he his hand hovered above a piece of paper.

"Naruto-kun? What is it?"

"I believe we have company again," he muttered and turned towards the underbrush.

Knowing they'd been found out, three figures sauntered out of the bushes to stare down the two genin.

"I'm intrigued. How did you notice our presence?" the bandaged one in the middle called out.

"Your smell. That carpet you're carrying on your back reeks mud, sweat, and dried blood," Naruto replied in disgust.

The boy simple chuckled as the other two simply sneered.

Why did every enemy team have to be assholes?

"Listen up," Naruto called out, "If you're here for a scroll, don't bother. We don't have one. Ours was already taken."

"And just why should we believe you?" Dosu replied, "Besides, we aren't here for the scroll."

This put Naruto and Hinata on edge as boy turned his gaze to the sleeping boy behind them.

"You see, we've been instructed to eliminate him. Since we're feeling sporting, I'll give you this one chance to walk away."

"No. I am going to give you this one chance," Naruto curtly replied, surprising Hinata. Naruto was always so upbeat and energetic, that it was uncomfortable to see him so angry, yet calm.

Dosu was also surprised when he noticed the boy's pupils shift into slits. His blue eyes were like ice: cold and unnervingly calm.

"You're threatening my friend, and I'm really not in the mood to deal with you right now, so I'm going to say this only one more time. Back. Off."

The girl of the group, who did not notice the change, scoffed as she palmed some senbon from her wrists and stepped forward.

"Oh, we are _sooo_ intimidated short-stuff. I can't wait to see you and that Hyuuga bitch screaming on the g-"

Naruto shot off faster than she could react and slammed his fist into her gut. As her eyes widened, he grabbed the sides of her head and slammed it into his knee. Blood splattered from her nose as she stumbled back, screaming in pain. Not giving her a reprieve, he spun and smashed his heel into her ribs, sending her flying to the side.

Zaku was the first to respond. He growled as he threw up his hands and shouted, "Decapitating Airwaves!"

Razor sharp wind blasted out of the tubes in his arms and raced towards Naruto, who easily jumped out of the way. Zaku aimed at the blonde midair and fired two more shots, which were intercepted by a pair of water bullets.

Hinata dashed through the shower of water, and began engaging him up close.

* * *

Kin clutched her face as she slowly rose from the ground, desperately trying to ignore the ringing pain in her head.

Dosu landed in front of her, and kept an eye on Zaku's fight with the Hyuuga girl.

"You alright?"

"Goddammit! I think that fucker broke my nose!"

Dosu turned around to comment, but was astonished as Naruto reappeared behind him and shot a kick towards his back.

He managed to jump away, but the blonde twisted around and slammed another fist into Kin's face.

"I did now," he coldly replied as he grabbed hold of her arm and twisted it behind her back.

Despite the pain, Kin felt something change, and suddenly she slammed into the ground under some invisible, immense weight.

Dosu remained cautious and eyed the black mark along her arm, as Naruto stood back up.

' _Seals. Troublesome things,'_ he thought as he reevaluated the smaller boy in front of him.

"I told you, I am not in the mood for games. I won't allow you to just threaten my friends."

Dosu scowled as he raised his metal gauntlet and took up a defensive stance.

"Stay still you stupid bitch!" Zaku screamed as backpedaled away and shot off another blast of wind at the girl.

Hinata ducked under the razor sharp wind and grabbed hold of his arm. Her hand danced up his right arm, leaving dark welts in its wake.

Zaku slashed at her with a kunai in his free hand, forcing her to jump back. He raised his right arm and attempted to blast her away, but was surprised when nothing happened.

"What the hell? What have you-"

He was cut off as she slipped through his guard and slammed her open palm into his chest, knocking him back several feet.

He fell to one knee as he clutched his chest. He was about to curse her out, when he choked on his own breath. He sent her a terrible glare, as he tried as hard as he could to simply take in a suitable gulp of air.

She had hit him in his left lung, which was going to make it very hard for him to breathe, let alone fight.

She turned to check on Sasuke, but stopped as she heard an ear-piercing scream from Naruto.

She whipped around and found him on the ground cradling his ears. Blood was seeping through his fingers as he clutched his head. Dosu stood over him with his metal gauntlet, setting off wave after wave of concussive sound waves.

He smirked at the boy's misery, but his eyes widened as he noticed two water bullets flying towards him.

He jumped away as the Hyuuga girl landed in front of the blonde with a kunai drawn.

Naruto clenched as his teeth as he tried to stumble to his feet. It honestly felt like to spikes were being drilled into his ears and clashing against each other in the middle.

He placed a hand on Hinata's shoulder to steady himself, before glaring at Dosu. He was surprised as Hinata waved his hand in front of his face to get his attention. He could see her lips moving, but noticed he wasn't hearing anything other than a loud high-pitched squeal.

"Naruto-kun, are you okay?" she repeated as she glanced back to him. She was beginning to grow worried. He shot her a confused look, as the boy across from them started laughing.

"Sorry sweetheart, but he's going to have some trouble hearing for a while. It happens when your eardrums are blown out," he smirked as raised up his metal gauntlet.

She was about to respond, when Naruto cried out and grabbed his ears.

He grit his teeth and growled, as a strange sensation washed through his head and into his ears.

"Goddammit that really hurt," he muttered as he tentatively poked a finger into his ear.

"Naruto, be careful! You don't want to injure the eardrum anymore than it already is," she said instinctively as she grabbed his arm.

"Sorry Hinata-chan," he replied surprising everyone.

"How the hell?" Dosu asked as he glared at the blonde.

Naruto sent him a pained smirk. "Let's just say I heal really, _really_ fast. Now that hurt like a bitch, you teme. I'm not going to fall for that again."

"So you say," Dosu replied as he began to crouch down.

"Don't even try it. Give up. You are now outnumbered and overwhelmed. For your sound attack to work, you need to get close to us. We, on the other hand, can gladly take our time and attack you with long-range ninjutsu. Take your team and just get out of here."

Dosu chuckled as he took up his stance. "I'll agree that you have me outnumbered, but I think overwhelmed is a bit of a stretch."

"Really? Is that so?" a voice called out from behind him.

Dosu twisted around and felt his heart sink at the sight before him. They were everywhere. Hanging on every tree and branch. Over a 100 grins bore down on the Sound ninja, as Naruto sent the clones a grin.

"Just in time, boys. Now, I believe you were saying something about not being overpowered?"

Dosu cursed as he glanced back and forth between the original and his clones. There was no denying it now. He was in serious trouble. He had tried to keep a cool head after the boy easily took down Kin, but now he had to admit was really in over his head.

However, he couldn't just abandon his mission. Orochimaru-sama had ordered them to kill the Uchiha, and he was not one to accept failure. If he tried to fight, he was a dead man. If he ran, he was worse than dead.

His thoughts were disrupted as a new feeling washed over the clearing, sending chills down everyone's spines.

 _"Orochimaru-sama? Here?"_ Dosu thought as he wildly looked towards the source of the disturbance and felt his heart stop.

Across the clearing, the Uchiha boy had finally risen to his feet and his appearance shocked the sound nin. Dosu had just assumed the boy had been injured from some run-in with another team, but the reality was even more horrifying.

Black, flaming marks danced along the boy's skin, as vile chakra literally poured from his body. The familiar, horrid chakra that every sound nin was familiar with radiated from a tiny marking that glowed on the back of his neck.

' _The curse mark! But why?'_ Dosu thought as the pieces started falling into place. Orochimaru didn't want them to kill the Uchiha. He wanted them to be his test subjects.

The boy stumbled forward and flashed Dosu a look, which froze him to his core. Thos burning red eyes only served to accent his demonic looking presence.

Zaku stumbled to his feet as he fought to wrestle his breath back under control. He flinched as his movement drew the attention of the boy. He blinked and stumbled back as the boy suddenly appeared in front of him.

The Uchiha grabbed him by the collar and yanked him up to his face.

" ** _And who might you be_**?"

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Finals are coming up, so expect a slower schedule for the next two weeks.**

 **We did it. We hit 500 reviews. Thank you guys so much for all of the support for the past few months.**

 **We are almost at the preliminaries. The team will be arriving at the tower next chapter, and the first few matches will probably begin. I expect we'll be done with this section in about 3 or 4 chapters. There are going to be 12 matches overall, but we are really only going to focus on about 3-5. I hope you guys can already tell that the lineups aren't exactly going to be the same as before. You guys are going to love the conclusion. It is going to be the most challenging fight I've had to write so far.**

 **Please make sure to leave a review for this chapter, and let me know what fights you think will happen and which you're most excited for.**

 **Review Corner:**

 *****(To the numerous Guest reviews)**

 **All right, I think I've avoided this question long enough. Many people have constantly been asking about pairings, and I think it's time I gave them an answer. I've been putting this off to build a tension between the three main cast members, and make the reader question which direction it is going. However, one of the last reviews raised a very fair point, and I don't want to blindside some people later down the line. So, the final pairing is indeed NaruHina. Now, if people are wondering why there is so much interaction between Hinata and Sasuke, it's because they literally never had one line of dialogue with each other in canon. I have to build up a new relationship that never existed in the first place (that and maybe make Sasuke a little jealous).**

 **(To Infinity Mask)**

 ** _"Btw if the clone can use Hiraisin why Naruto not make the clone that carries scrolls use it to get to Naruto place instead of meeting to ravenous points?"_**

 **Ugggghhh…well mostly plot convenience, but I do have a reason that fits in logically. Everything experienced by the clones goes back to the user. So if the clones used the Hiraishin, the backlash from their use would go to him. Also, it was so we could have that nice moment at the end of the chapter.**

 **As for Sasuke, don't worry.**

 **(To ND99sama)**

 **Naruto's reserves are simply ridiculous. He really breaks the whole chakra system that the manga set up in part one. If you go by the manga's own rules, he should technically have more chakra than the Sandaime at this point. Besides, he wasn't the only one throwing around jutsu during his fight off-screen.**

 **Hinata was the one who dislodged the kunai. I originally was going to have Orochimaru pin both hands to the tree then say, "Don't go anywhere," but I changed it to one hand. I guess the phrase just stuck, even though she was able to pull out the kunai by herself.**

 **(To Fezzgator)**

 **Thank you for that well thought out and neatly written review.**

 **(To cbusch800)**

 **I'll go back and see if I can make the pronouns a little easier to follow.**

 **(To crono3553)**

 **While I agree that Obito should not have been redeemed, I don't quite agree with the label of a spoiled child. He actually had quite a hard childhood and didn't have parents growing up. He was outcast by the Uchiha for being different and not activating his sharingan.**

 **Still doesn't excuse all of the horrible things he did, but I just felt that that title was kind of an unfair label.**

 **(To surc)**

 **Interesting criticism. Hope the other chapters you read since 7 changed your mind.**

 **(To RaidenUzumaki14)**

 **Hinata is going to be just fine. All three of them are going to be on a more than equal playing field. If you haven't already, you might want to watch The Last to catch a hint at where she may end up (and no, not in a cage).**

 **The rule of elemental jutsu contradicts itself in theory and practice throughout canon. By the time they started paying attention to it in shippuden, it was already considered so commonplace that all the rules felt odd and limiting. So yes, I think basically anyone can use all 5 elements in my story, but to varying degrees of success.**

 **Say, for instance, your elemental affinity is water. That means that it will be easier for you to learn suiton jutsu and they will be more powerful than the other elements. Earth, Lightning, and Wind would take time to learn and master, but it is certainly possible to a degree. Now, if this person tried to learn katon jutsu, it would be extremely difficult for them, but they could do it with enough time and patience. However, the jutsu's strength would be considerably weaker than compared to the other elements.**

 **I love Kakashi was so surprised at Sasuke's fireball, yet, during the Kyuubi attack and the fight against Madara, shinobi were throwing around fireballs left and right. It is like the most common katon jutsu imaginable. I get he knew it earlier than most, but even Obito knew that jutsu when he was a genin, and he was not considered a prodigy by any means.**

 **Yeah, I get that whole 3 elements is rare thing, which is what made Kakuzu so special, but in a world where almost anyone can shoot off elemental "magic," it feels odd that they are limited to a set amount of types.**


	35. Chapter 35 - Just Two, Shirtless Guys

Chapter 35 – Just Two, Shirtless Guys

Everyone flinched at the sound of cracking bones and an ear-piercing scream, which echoed through the woods.

Naruto felt his stomach churn and his eyes soften at the sight before him. This was just getting morbid. Naruto was pissed at the Sound team, but even he knew this was excessive.

It couldn't even be considered a fight anymore. Sasuke was just toying with the guy, like a cat batting around an injured mouse.

"Sasuke, that's enough. He's no longer a threat. You can stop now," he said, placing hand on the boy's shoulder.

Sasuke whirled around and smacked him right in the face, harder than he had ever punched him before. Naruto reeled back from the blow and Sasuke slammed his hand into his throat, cutting off his vocal chords. The boy gasped in pain and reached for his neck, before Sasuke grabbed hold of his arms.

" ** _Come on, dobe. I thought you'd be better than this,_** " Sasuke smirked as he twisted the blonde's hands behind his back and kicked him forward.

Naruto stumbled forward before falling to his knees, gasping for breath. Hinata quickly jumped in front of him, her eyes pleading for Sasuke to stand down.

As he tried to get his breath under control, he shot Sasuke a dark look, which only cause the other boy to sneer.

The Uchiha usually held himself in a very composed manner. Right now, his stance was slanted and his head cocked to the side made him seem unhinged. His manic appearance was only accented by the twisting, dark markings across his skin.

"Naruto-kun, it's that seal. It seeping chakra throughout his body, especially his head."

Naruto pushed off of his knees and stood up, his mind racing a mile-a-minute. Anko had told him plenty of times what that seal could do. That thing was seeping that snake bastard's chakra straight into Sasuke's mind, influencing him to be harsher. Crueler.

But now that it was done altering Sasuke's system, he could actually do something about it. He needed to shut off the flow as soon as possible. The longer that chakra lingered in Sasuke's brain, the more it would start to twist his mind.

He gave a nod and the mass of the clones throughout the trees dove down on the crazed genin.

Sasuke only smiled at the sight, as the first clones started rushing him.

His red eyes flashed as he ducked under the first punch, grabbed hold of the clone's arm, and twisted before throwing him back towards two approaching clones, dispelling them on contact. He twisted around and slapped the two incoming punches away with ease, before kicking out the legs of one clone and landing a solid punch to the jaw of the other.

Naruto flinched as he watched Sasuke tear through the clones with beastly precision. His movements weren't exactly feral, but they emanated a ferocity he had never seen from his friend.

Sasuke slammed the latest clone to the ground and twisted its arm, forcing it to dispel. He quickly began racing through hand signs and shot a giant, purple ball of fire into the crowd of clones. He gazed through the resulting explosion and giant puff of smoke that emanated from the destroyed clones.

Through the purple haze that was fogging his mind, he grinned. This was more like it. The thrill of a challenge. Pushing him and his eyes to the limit. He didn't know what this chakra was, but it was exhilarating.

He felt like he could do anything.

His sharingan caught movement in the corner of his eye, and he quickly twisted around and caught Hinata's strike.

She pumped her chakra through his hand and tapped her fingers along his arm, but she was shocked to see that the jyuuken was having little affect on his system. The purple chakra from the seal simply forced open the closed tenketsu and absorbed any of her lingering chakra.

Sasuke snarled and was about to backhand her away, but froze. Something inside his mind seemed to click as he stared into her eyes. Her face was flushed with concern, and her gaze held no trace of animosity.

His short pause was all she needed to grab hold of his other hand and lock his arms across his chest.

Naruto shot out from the crowd of clones, his fingers burning with gold flames. He slammed his fingers into Sasuke's shoulder, shouting, "Four Pronged Seal!"

Sasuke's eyes shot wide open as the markings along his body flashed red. He fell to his knees as the markings shifted from red to white and slowly began fading away from his skin.

It was like being dunked in a bucket of cold water. The feel of grime and haziness disappeared in an instant.

"What the hell just happened?" he panted as Hinata cautiously let go of his arms, which fell to the ground by his sides.

"Your demonic hickey just sent you on a berserker rampage. Are you feeling alright?" Naruto replied.

Sasuke simply nodded as he wiped away the sweat that was accumulating on his forehead.

"Good," Naruto replied before smashing his fist into Sasuke's cheek. "That's for that sucker punch, you asshole."

Sasuke didn't respond as he spit out a speck of blood. His mind wasn't exactly clear, but even he had to admit he had that coming.

Hinata sent Naruto a disapproving glare, before checking Sasuke's system again to make sure none of the seal's chakra was lingering in his system.

Naruto took the moment to step back and glance around the clearing. Sure enough, the Sound Team had decided to split. He eyed the girl's jacket lying on the floor, which she must have ditched to escape the gravity seal.

Good riddance.

"Dobe, what did you do to stop me, and what the hell is this thing on my neck?" Sasuke asked as Hinata helped him up.

He was surprised by Naruto's somber look, as he turned towards him. He could tell he wasn't going to like this.

Naruto sighed as he pointed towards him. "That thing on your neck is an odd numbered seal. I made a temporary fix by blocking the seal with an even numbered seal on top of it. That will disrupt the flow of chakra, at least for a while, until I can make a better replacement. As for what exactly it is, that… is the evil curse seal."

"…so much for subtly," Sasuke murmured as he rubbed the spot on his neck.

"That thing is no joke, Sasuke," Naruto cut in. "It's dangerous. It's…" he said before growling and turning away. He ran a hand through his hair, as he clenched his teeth.

"Just spit it out and tell me already, " Sasuke called, already sure he wasn't going to like the answer.

"I-I don't know how to get rid of it okay!" Naruto cried out as he turned around. "I just don't!"

"That's fine. We'll just get someone who-"

"No, Sasuke. You don't understand. No one knows how to remove it. Not Jiraiya-sensei, not even jiji."

He felt as if he had been slapped in the face. Not even the Hokage or the village's seal master knew how to remove this thing. Just what the hell was it?

Hinata glanced back and forth between the two, unsure what she could do in this situation.

"Sasuke-kun, we'll-"

"We'll deal with it later," he cut her off as he pushed off her shoulder and steadied himself.

"Sasuke-kun, you need to rest. We don't know exactly what-"

"Let's just get out here and get to the tower. At least there I can get some answers in peace."

"But Sasuke-k-"

"NO!"

Hinata was about to speak up, but kept her comment to herself. She slightly scowled at him, but nodded in understanding. Sasuke turned to Naruto and asked, "Your clones still have the scrolls correct?"

"The ones you didn't turn to smoke, yes," he replied curtly as two hidden clones jumped down from the trees. One handed the scroll to Naruto, while the other offered it to Sasuke, who shook his head. He glanced to Hinata and said, "Give it to her. I'm in no condition to protect it."

She didn't openly acknowledge his gesture, but her scowl did soften ever so slightly.

Sasuke internally sighed as he tried to hold himself up. He was on shaky ground here and he knew it. His anger had gotten the better of him, and he had lashed out. Again. Things just could never go smoothly.

He turned to Naruto and said, "You're leading. Let's just get the hell out of this forest."

* * *

The Hokage wanted to sigh, but he was noticing this was becoming a pattern for this team. Things were just growing more somber and somber every time they stood in front of him.

They were in the makeshift control center on the top floor of the tower. As soon as Team 7 had arrived, Iruka had shuffled them straight to the Hokage's temporary accommodations.

Hinata stood next to Kakashi and Anko was hovering over Naruto's shoulder with a grim look on her face. Her own interaction with the sannin had left her a little shaken, and the cuts and bruises along her body made it easy to understand why.

Sasuke stood shirtless with his back to the Professor, facing his teammates. He simply glared at the ground and refused to meet their gaze. The Sandaime could literally feel the tension in the air. His teammates were a little bitter, but he could still see the traces of absolute concern clearly across their faces.

They would overcome this. All friendships had their hurdles, but overcoming them was what strengthened them indefinitely.

Turning back to the matter at hand, he scowled as he ran a wrinkly finger across the dark tattoo etched on the boy's neck. Even now, others were still paying for his mistake. He had allowed Orochimaru to get this far, and here was another example of others suffering the consequences.

He patted the boy on the shoulder and told him he could put his shirt back on. He glanced over to Naruto and asked, "And what do you make of this?"

Naruto would usually be humbled for being asked his professional opinion on a fuinjutsu matter, but he was still a little somber.

"I haven't gotten to take a in depth look at it, but I'd probably guess that Orochimaru-teme has made some adjustments since the seal I've seen."

Anko raised her arm to her own shoulder and scowled.

"I can start placing my version of the curse suppression seal as soon as I got the space. I just need a room cleared out and some privacy for a few hours. After that, he'll be as good as he's going to be."

The Hokage took out his pipe and took a few puffs before responding. He needed to take the edge off.

"I take it you still haven't made much progress on your other example, then?"

Naruto glanced behind him and Anko gave him a nod.

"It's okay to tell them. He needs to know he's not he only one."

Naruto nodded and replied, "I'm still working on finding a way to remove nee-chan's seal. That thing is just so dam packed with code that it's hard to get to the center of it all. Orochimaru is no seal master, but he's certainly done his homework in the art. He's past the master class ranking, at the very least. As much as it pisses me off to say it, Sasuke getting marked could actually help me find something new. If I can find the base pattern between the two, deep within the seal, then maybe I can find a new lead for removing it."

"Good. When the second exam is over, I'll have you meet up with Jiraiya again to compare notes about the seal. You two have had the most experience examining the seal, and an extra pair of eyes will be better for the both of you. As for right now, you all deserve a good night's sleep. Tomorrow we'll deal with suppressing Sasuke's seal. I'll have the space readied for you. I want you and Sasuke to meet with Kakashi on the fourth floor at noon. You will have all the privacy you will need. You are lucky. The second test will not end for another two days; so most teams have not arrived at the tower yet. Anko, please show them to their rooms. Kakashi and I need to have a word."

Anko nodded and herded the quiet team out the door. Silence settled over the office as the two men simply stared off into the distance.

"It's not your fault Kakashi. You prepared them as best you could."

"I know, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating."

"The fact that they faced down a sannin and lived is miraculous enough. This could have been much, much worse. Thankfully, Naruto-kun was able to save Hinata-chan from a similar fate."

The Hokage glanced out the window of the tower and gazed out over the forest.

"Those three will persevere. They care so much for one another, even if they are in a rough patch right now."

"So much for the positive team-building they had been doing lately," Kakashi sighed as he rubbed his neck. "They had grown even closer after returning from Wave, and their C-ranked missions only strengthened that bond. It's disturbing to see them this silent towards each other."

"It will pass. Sasuke-kun is rather lucky. The one person, who has the best chance for discovering the way to remove the curse seal, happens to be one of his closest friends. You and I both know that once Naruto has become attached to someone, it is very hard to break that bond. Something as trivial as this won't break that connection. This development will only spur him even harder to unravel the secrets of my former student's seal. Besides, I believe the problem between the two will be healed tomorrow during their time alone in the room."

"Really now? That fast?"

"Well, not completely. Those boys are just too stubborn to simply resolve their differences through words alone. Action is their true language, and I unfortunately believe that a clash between them is the only way for them to fully resolve their issues."

"Or it could make it worse," Kakashi sighed as the headache already started to form.

"That's true, but those two share a bond deeper than a simple rivalry. Did I ever tell you about the time I caught them cheating at the academy?"

"Oh, this should be good," Kakshi chuckled as he attempted to let the stress of the current situation momentarily slip away from him.

"I had finished my paperwork for the week, and had a unusual amount of free time on my hands. After sitting in that office for 17 hours straight, I decided to take the time to walk around the village. I was passing by the academy and decided to drop in and surprise the younger classes. I was standing outside a classroom door, but I paused as the sight through the window made my day. It seems little Sasuke-kun had grown rather bored during one class and decided to doze off. He ended up doing poorly on a quiz, and he seemed very afraid of invoking his mother's wrath for something as silly as laziness. As you would expect, Naruto-kun did not fair well on the quiz either. As the teacher walked around collecting the quizzes, Naruto pick pocketed the teacher's keys to his cabinet. Without saying a word, he silently tossed them to Sasuke, who hid them from sight."

The Hokage chuckled and coughed as some of his smoke got caught in his lung.

"Of course, the teacher blamed Naruto and dragged him off to the principal's office during the lunch break. As I watched the children playing outside, I noticed Sasuke was absent from his peers. I walked back inside and glanced in to discover Sasuke unlocking the cabinet for blank test forms. He made two, new tests copying off of sweet, little Sakura-chan's paper, before replacing the new ones with the others."

"And he just made another one for Naruto? They didn't like each other back then. Hell, they can barely tolerate each other now."

"The innocence of a child is bittersweet, Kakashi, but even so, their ability to communicate without speaking astonished me to no end. Besides being the technical rookie-of-the-year and dead last, it was another part of my consideration when I paired the two together on your team."

Kakashi nodded as he felt his mind wander back to similar events that he had ignored at the time, but now started to bug him. Hinata had told him how the two had sprung up with a plan to subdue the Zaofu clansmen with only a few short words. It had been impressive, but now things were starting to get strange. It was happening far too often for a pair that bickered as much as they did. There was that time during their training with his nin-ken. That time during the Wave mission, when they freed him from Zabuza's trap. When they were trapped in the dome of ice.

Time and time again, the two demonstrated an innate ability to just read each other perfectly.

A little too perfectly.

Kakshi scowled as just another thing was added to the pile of mysteries that surrounded his genin. First the Hyuuga ring, and now this. Kakashi did not like being out of the loop.

As an ANBU, information was key. It could make the difference between life and death, which was a constant for that profession. Not knowing something made him feel uncomfortable, and this was something that was hitting a little too close to home.

"Something wrong Kakashi?"

Shaken out of his stupor, Kakashi sent him a little wave. "Nah, nah. I'm fine. Just lost in thought."

"Well, I know this has been a stressful day for you as well. Go and reassure them. They'll appreciate it."

"Thank you Hokage-sama," he said as he bowed before exiting the room.

* * *

 _(The next day)_

"And here we are boys," Kakashi said as he swung open the door.

The two peered into the room swallowed in darkness. True to his word, the Hokage had indeed made sure that everything was cleared. The desks, the beds, even the wallpapers. Thankfully there was no window, which made it a perfect, concrete cube.

"This should do perfectly. Thanks Kakashi-sensei."

"No prob. I'll be standing out here, making sure no one interrupts. I'll be sure to place a silencing seal as well."

"Thank you," Naruto said as he lit one of the candles in his hands, before walking in.

Sasuke quietly shuffled behind him, and felt a chill rise through his spine as the door snapped shut behind him. Naruto said nothing as he went around the room, placing the candles across the ground in a ring. He settled in the center of the candles, and reached into his tool pouch. He began setting several bottles of ink and brushes on the ground in a neat order.

Sasuke could only watch in silence, as the blonde got to work. He didn't really know what to say. Things were slightly tense between the two right now. He was the one at fault here and he knew it; but even so, it was not like he could have helped it. That crazed man's chakra had been manipulating his mind. Influencing him to lash out at his teammates.

He felt his body tense up as that uncomfortable feeling washed over him again. Using the term "influence" was what was making him so guilty. It wasn't like he had been mind controlled. All of his actions had come from within. His own secret desires to match up against the blonde and really let loose. It wasn't like he wanted to pummel the blonde, but he really did want to see how he truly compared to his teammate.

It was just that allure from the chakra.

That pull from the seal that even acted on him now.

Was he really that weak-willed that the simple promise of power would change him that much? Was he really-

Sasuke's entire train of thought fell apart, when he finally noticed what Naruto was doing.

"What the hell, dobe?"

"What? I don't want the ink staining my clothes," he replied as he walked over towards the door, wearing only his boxers. He folded his pants, shirt, and jacket and left them in a pile, before turning back to Sasuke.

"You're going to need to change too."

Despite being alone, Sasuke felt his cheeks burn up in embarrassment.

"Is that why you brought the candles? To set the mood? Sorry to disappoint, but I don't swing that way."

"Hardy har. Could have fooled me. Seeing how many girls you've rejected over the years has certainly raised some questions."

Sasuke simply sent him a fierce glare, which the other boy shrugged off.

"Stop being such a baby. We've been in nothing but swimsuits with each other, and you were fine with that. It's basically the same thing. Besides, I need the access to your skin. You are going to serve as the surface for this seal."

Sasuke clenched his teeth, but started removing his clothing anyway. As he folded his clothes next to the doorway, Naruto headed back to center of the room and began unraveling a scroll.

"All right, I'm going to need you to sit right here," Naruto curtly said, pointing to the center of the room.

As Sasuke settled into place, Naruto began drawing a wide circle around the two of them.

"You'd better get comfortable because we are going to be here awhile. Try to move as little as possible. Seals can be finicky, and what I'm about to do is going to be rather complicated."

"Can you walk me through it?" Sasuke asked as he shifted into the lotus position.

"Sure," he replied as he dipped his brush into a bottle of ink and held it above his back.

"Now this might be a little cold, but try not to move."

Sasuke nodded and tried his best not to flinch as the brush came in contact with his skin.

"What I'm doing is preparing the outline to connect with the circle around you, which will connect to the walls."

"Because…."

"Let me finish. This version of the seal I developed is really complicated and incredibly long. It's honestly the largest seal I've ever developed. Lift your arm, please."

Naruto ran his brush along Sasuke's ribcage, down his leg, and into the floor, where it went out to connect with the ring.

"As I was saying, a lot of seals have parts hidden within other kanji. They fold in on each other once the seal has been activated. During the creation process, I need a lot of space to draw all of the seals necessary. They are going to stretch along the walls, and maybe the ceiling if I run out of space. At the end of it all, all of the seals are going to connect with each other and recede into a figure around the curse seal."

"What's it going to do?"

"It's going to actively suppress all attempts from the seal from influencing you to use its power. The problem with the older version was that its effectiveness weakened when the subject was placed under stress or anger. My seal corrects that problem. However, I can't shut out the seal entirely. Until I find a way to remove it, the option to use it will always be there in your mind. You can willingly choose to use it, but every time you do, more and more of that bastard's chakra will seep into your brain and begin to affect you even when you aren't using the seal."

Sasuke simply nodded in silence, as the blonde boy got to work.

* * *

Over an hour passed before either of them would speak again. Naruto was currently off to Sasuke's right, transcribing on the wall, when Sasuke spoke up.

"Thank you for doing this."

Naruto glanced back at him. The boy still sat frozen still, with his head facing the ground. He turned back to his work and replied.

"It's no problem. It's the least I can do for my teammate."

He was quiet for a minute before he stopped his brush.

"You may be insufferable at times, but you're still my friend. I'm not just going to sit by and let some perverted old man get away with assaulting you."

He heard a chuckle behind him. "Can we not refer to it that way?"

"We could," Naruto replied as he dipped his brush into the ink and made a giant arc across the wall, extending over his head, "but it wouldn't be as entertaining. I think adding a little humor to the situation will help lighten the mood."

Sasuke was silent for another minute before he responded again.

"I'm… sorry for how I lashed out at you in the forest."

Naruto paused his stroke, but kept his back to him.

"I was just so overwhelmed. The power… the rush. I just got lost in it, and then you showed up."

"And you're first instinct was to smack me in the face?" Naruto asked, as he turned around.

"No. Well, I guess yes, but-"

"Why?"

His interruption surprised Sasuke, and he turned to look him in the eyes.

"Why would your first instinct be to attack me?"

"I'm pretty sure I was lashing out at everyone."

"Not Hinata-chan. You took one look at her and froze. You didn't seem to want to attack her," he replied in a curt tone as he gaze started to sharpen.

Sasuke was surprised by this realization. Maybe it was just that she had always served as the mediator between the two. She was never one to push violence, but instead acted as the voice of reason. He would always be the first to defend her ability as a kunoichi, but, even in his subconscious, he never pictured her as a fighter. She was always the middle ground that served to balance the two of them.

As he bounced these ideas in his head, he also noted the sharp, steel tone Naruto had when regarding Hinata.

He shook these thoughts out of his head, as he glanced back at him.

"I can understand why you lashed out at the Sound guy because he attacked you, but you lashed out at me at first sight. I want to know why."

Sasuke was silent as he tossed the question around in his mind.

"I guess it was because… that deep down, I want to see how much I measure up to you."

This answer caught Naruto off guard. He sent him a confused look as Sasuke continued, "Ever since the academy I've noticed that you aren't as stupid as you can let on. Due to your proficiency in seals, I knew that you held some untapped potential that was ignored by the teachers. After all of these years of seeing you being pushed back because of prejudices, I have finally gotten to see how you could grow under a productive teacher. Seeing you advance at such a rapid rate made me a little jealous. Even if you had been faster, I had always been a step ahead of you in the academy. As you've bounded forward, I've felt myself begin to be left in the dust. So, I guess I've wanted to see where we stand from one another."

Both the boys were silent as they stared at one another.

After a few seconds, Naruto started to chuckle before letting out a weak laugh. Sasuke started to scowl, but Naruto waved him off and sent him a pleasant grin.

"That's a laugh. Honestly Sasuke, I've always measured myself up to you. You're a natural genius and everything comes just so easy for you. I guess I've been jealous as well, but that's why I work so hard. I always wanted to be like you in the academy, so I'd work day after day trying to catch up. Even though the more prideful part of me hurts to say it, I still don't think I measure up to you in my mind's eye."

He sent Sasuke a fierce grin as he walked up and squatted next to him. "So I guess I want to see how we measure up too."

Both boys smirked as a pleasant silence settled over them.

Sasuke scoffed as he resisted the temptation to scratch an itch under a section of ink.

"Look at us. Hinata would be so proud. Talking about feelings and such."

"I know. It's making me sick," Naruto replied as he pretended to hold in a barf. Before he turned around and headed back towards the wall, he said, "You should probably apologize to Hinata as well."

"I know, and I will. However, I can't until we're finished with this stupid room. How much longer will this take anyway?"

"Oh, I don't know," Naruto mused as he gazed around the room. "Probably about… two hours."

Sasuke groaned as he settled back into his motionless stance, as Naruto chuckled and continued his work along the walls.

His legs were starting to cramp again and he didn't know how much of this he could take.

* * *

"Aaaand….weeee….arrre… done!"

Naruto smiled and carefully lifted the paintbrush away from Sasuke's neck and admired his work.

Overall, it had taken him 4 hours to complete the seal. He had decided to take it slow and make sure everything was perfect before signing the final mark (which had taken up 30 minutes of time).

He walked over to the door and reached into his kunai pouch. After taking out a kunai, he jogged back over and offered him the handle.

"Now, this next part is going to really, **_rrreeeaaally_** hurt. So you'd better start preparing yourself."

"How bad are we talking here?" Sasuke asked as Naruto walked back behind him.

"To put it in perspective, it's going to feel like a hot iron press is being rammed into your shoulder. It is going to sting and burn like crazy, but the moment the process is over, the pain will vanish. Now, how long it will take will depend on how painful you want it to be."

"Care to elaborate?"

"The faster I have the seal recede into its shrunken form, the more painful it will be. The slower I compress it, the less pain you will feel."

"Which do you suggest?" Sasuke asked as he gripped the handle.

"Honestly? Treat it like a band aide, and just get it over with. When I applied it to nee-chan, we first opted for the slower option, but it was too slow and the pain was still harsh. It would have taken us just as long to compress the seal as it took to apply it, if we worked at the minimal pain threshold."

"Fine. Then just do it as fast as you can and get it over with," Sasuke replied as he stuck the kunai in his teeth.

"Alright. Now this process is going to take about 2 minutes, and it is going to be agonizing the entire time. No matter what happens, try your best not to move. The seal link may already be set up, but I don't want you to smudge some of the kanji during the process. You ready?"

Sasuke gave him a nod, before he clenched his eyes clothes and bit into the leather handle.

Naruto took a deep breath and began going through hand signs. After 21 signs, he paused and placed his thumb in the center of the curse seal. He patted Sasuke on the other shoulder and said, "Evil Curse Suppression: Activate."

Sasuke's eyes shot open as the searing pain raced across his body. He screamed into the metal as the black writings all along the room raced along the walls, speeding up his body and onto his shoulder.

The dobe hadn't been kidding when he said this was going to be painful. Suppressing the dam seal was just as painful, if not worse than getting the dam thing put on.

For two grueling minutes, he fought back tears as the strings of kanji wrapped around his body and formed a ring around the curse seal. Finally, after a bright flash of white, the searing pain disappeared and he slumped forwards onto his hands. He spit out the kunai from his mouth as he took deep breaths.

"Hold on. I gotta check and make sure everything went alright," Naruto said as he lifted a candle over the boy's back and inspected his handiwork.

Sasuke yelped as a drop of melted wax fell onto his back.

"Watch it!"

"Sorry! Sorry!" Naruto said as he held his hand under the candle, as he glanced over the twisting ring around the curse seal. He couldn't help but feel an iota of pride swell up inside him as he gazed at his work.

"Good news, teme. You are now your own man. No demonic hickeys will be influencing your mind."

"I thought we agreed to not refer to it as that," he chuckled.

"No, you _proposed_ we don't refer to it as that. I just ignore it. Now let's go show Kakashi-sensei."

Naruto helped him up from the ground, and together they headed off towards the door.

As they cracked it open, they both shielded their eyes as light burned their unprepared retinas. After blinking several times, and adjusting to the light, they recognized Hinata and Kakashi staring at them.

"And?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto gave him a cheeky smile, and spun Sasuke around. "See for yourself."

Kakashi smiled as he gazed down at the design. Sure enough, things seemed to have gone off without a hitch.

Hinata had been incredibly worried during the whole affair, and had not stopped pacing in front of the door for the entire process. Kakashi had told her several times that it would take hours for them to finish, but she had been adamant to stay and see the results.

As soon as the door opened and she noticed the smiles on their faces, her heart lit up with joy. Then she noticed the rest of them and her heart stopped.

"Hinata-chan, are you alright? You look overheated," Naruto commented as he stared at the beet red girl. Steam almost seemed to be coming out of her ears, due to the almost naked boys in front of her.

"Alright, I think you two overloaded her," Kakashi chuckled as he steadied her back in case she fainted again. She had gotten rather good at stopping herself, but there were always a few times that fell between the cracks.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asked as he rubbed his sore shoulder.

Kakashi just gaze them a glance up and down, causing them to realize their lack of attire. The two turned red as well, and bolted back into the room to preserve what little dignity they had left.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 ***Again, sorry for the delay. This week is finals week. I was up until 3:30 in the morning last night studying for my exam today. So I hope this chapter gives you guys a little reprieve from your own finals.**

 **We are finally at the preliminaries (shocked it took us 35 chapters to get here). Wanted it to start this chapter, but the application of the seal took longer than I thought. For those of you worried about the pace, believe me, it's about to pick up. Back-to-back(-to-back) fights here we come.**

 **Hope you guys are having a good week. Please leave a review, cause they are always appreciated, and let me know which fight you are looking forward to the most.**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To SunlitSky21)**

 **The pace of the story probably feels slower due to the slower release schedule. Orignally, I was releasing two chapters a week, but that has admittedly slowed down to only one chapter a week. That is my fault, but I am busy with studying for finals. The fact that we are lingering in the Forest of Death may also be a contributing factor, but don't worry, the prelims are finally starting. You guys are going to get 3-4 chapters of action-packed goodness.**

 **(To HugeFan)**

 **Like I just said to the review above, the pacing is due to a couple of factors, including the release schedule. As for the chakra chains, I honestly don't have any plans for them. I agree that there is a lack of stories regarding this ability, but it just wasn't part of my ideas when I first drafted this story. I mean, he already has the Hiraishin, which I have had to actively limit so as to not have him overpowered. Throwing the chains in there is kind of overkill at this point. It would also make any future fights with jinchuuriki (Ex: Garra) very short and pointless, when he could just use the chains to subdue him.**

 **(To NatLS)**

 **I love seeing that in other stories as well, but I just couldn't fit it into my own. One of my favorite moments in fan fiction is when both Naruto and Sasuke are passed out, and they wake up at the same time with the Fox cloak and curse mark respectively. However, like I said, it just didn't fit in.**


	36. Chapter 36 - The Preliminaries (Part 1)

Chapter 36: The Preliminaries (Part 1)

"Now, if there is anyone present who would wish to resign from the preliminaries, this would be the time to do so."

Naruto twisted his head around and gazed at the collection of teams that had also managed to make it to the tower. Anko-neechan hadn't been kidding. The Forest of Death had certainly lived up to its reputation. Overall, only nine teams had been able to push through the forest and acquire both scrolls.

The presence of Team Gai didn't surprise him in the least. Based on what Sasuke and Hinata had told him about Lee and Neji, it had probably been a breeze for them to reach the tower after they had stolen their scroll. His stare lingered on Neji long enough for the two to share a short glaring contest, and he was sure to give the Sound team the same treatment.

He noted one of the two teams from Waterfall had managed to make it, if only by the skin of their teeth if their torn attire was any indicator. The Kumo team he had offered to help was also present, but their third teammate was suspiciously missing. He noted that Kabuto's team was also missing a member. His gaze lingered over the team from Suna, but he quickly looked away as he felt the red haired boy from the forest notice his stare.

What truly surprised him was that all three of the rookie teams had somehow managed to make it. He didn't know if their training was anywhere near the level that his team had gone through, but he was anxious to see the results nonetheless.

"Last chance." The Hokage mused as he stared into each of the faces of the genin, looking for any crack in resolve.

After another minute of silence, he smiled and nodded towards Hayate.

"Alright then, let's get this show on the road. " Hayate droned, "Direct your attention to the video board as we randomly generate the matchups."

Naruto felt a familiar excitement rise up in his chest at the thought of fighting in front of so many people for the purpose of creeping closer to his ultimate goal. So he felt disappointed when neither of the two names on the screen was his.

 _Sasuke Uchiha vs. Yoroi Akado_

Sasuke felt his chest swirling with excitement, and Hayate began directing everyone else up the stairs towards the balcony.

"Alright teme. Don't you dare lose on me, I'm expecting to see you in the finals!" Naruto said as he shot him a grin.

"The same goes for you dobe. Nobody gets to beat you but me," he replied with a smirk of his own.

"Now, now boys. Save it for later. Best of luck, Sasuke-kun. We'll be cheering for you," Hinata cheered and the two of them began making their way towards the stairs.

Kakashi chose to linger and waited until the two were out of earshot before whispering, "Have you had any problems?"

"None so far," he replied as he rubbed his shoulder, "Hinata and Naruto sparred with me a little earlier and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how well the dobe's seal holds up."

Kakashi nodded and gave him one last thumbs up, before lazily making his own way towards the balcony. Sasuke gave the retreating form of his team one last look before turning to face his bespectacled opponent.

Besides the bruises he had received from his encounter from the sannin, he honestly felt great. The spot on his shoulder where the seal was felt incredibly sore, but other than that he was raring to go. Whatever the dobe had done, it was working wonders. The feelings of nausea and grime he had felt during his first day after being marked were almost completely gone.

He cracked his neck and dropped into his stance as he stared down his opponent. Hayate nodded at both the genin and raised his hand to signal them to start.

Sasuke smirked as his eyes flashed red, and he shot off towards his opponent.

* * *

"Well that was a little disappointing," Naruto murmured as he leaned against the rail. He stared down at the unconscious form of Sasuke's opponent, and sighed as Sasuke was declared the winner.

The match had taken less than four minutes, two of which were spent by the other guy shouting off some exposition about his jutsu. Without the curse seal holding him back, Sasuke had torn the guy apart in taijutsu, and Yoroi's peculiar ability to drain chakra barely even fazed him. He had plenty of experience with that by sparring with Hinata. The guy was certainly above average, but then again, so was everyone else in the room.

"You couldn't have made it more interesting?" he whined as Sasuke joined them on the balcony.

"Not my fault if I'm paired with a weak opponent. I just hope I have better luck in the next round. I actually want this to be interesting."

"Careful what you wish for," Kakashi mused as they watched Shikamaru and the girl from Sound make their way towards the floor. "Here's an easy lesson you kids should take to heart: never tempt fate. She tends to be stingy."

As the match got underway, Naruto leaned in towards Sasuke and whispered, "How did the seal do? It didn't look like there were any problems."

"None whatsoever. Turns out you can do something when you put your mind to it."

Naruto smirked and they both turned their attention back to the fight below them.

* * *

The next few matches seemed to fly by. Team Seven had collectively flinched at the sight of Zaku blowing his arms apart, and all three were shocked by Temari's brutal defeat of the girl from Team Gai.

"That was a bit harsh," Naruto said as he watched the paramedics whisk Tenten off of the floor. He unconsciously rubbed his lower back as he imagined how rough that final landing must have been.

"Indeed," Gai mused behind him, "but this should serve as an important lesson for her. She may not become a chunin today, but what she will have learned will be just as important. Better for her to discover this weakness now, rather than out in the field of battle."

"Gai-sensei! I will be sure to fight twice as hard! When the matches are over, we will be proud to tell her that Neji and I have moved on to the finals! She will be with us in fighting spirit!" Lee boomed as he gave Gai a salute.

"Well said, Lee!" Gai boomed with a smile, "Now all of you should pay close attention. This next match is going to be quite interesting."

Surprised by his change in tone, Team Seven and Lee turned their attention back to the floor as the genin from Waterfall and Kumo stood across from each other.

"Alright, now are you two ready?" Hayate coughed out, glancing between the two.

"All set!" the boy from Waterfall exclaimed as he stretched his right arm across his chest.

The white haired boy from Kumo simply nodded from behind his grey scarf.

"Alright then. Begin." Hayate drawled out as he brought his hand down.

There was a flash of light and a loud crack filled the room. Dust filled the air and the observers could only look on, dumbfounded, at the new sight before them. The Kumo-nin was now where his opponent had stood, with his fist outstretched. Across the room was the unconscious form of the Waterfall genin, embedded deep within the concrete wall.

Sasuke could only stutter as he tried to comprehend what they had just seen. "What…what the hell was that?"

"Well… isn't that interesting?" Kakashi murmured, drawing his attention.

Sasuke turned and was thankful to see that Hinata looked just as lost as he was. What did surprise him was the similar look on Lee, Naruto, and Neji's faces.

"Did you catch that too?" Naruto murmured to Lee.

"Just barely," Lee somberly replied.

"That's insane," Naruto muttered as he watched the medical staff attempt to pry the Waterfall genin from the wall.

"Care to explain what the hell just happened dobe?"

"Well…he hit him," he replied bluntly.

"Gee thanks. Could you be a little more specific?"

"That guy… was just ridiculously fast," was his only response.

"But there was something else too," Neji finally chimed in.

"Agreed. Did you see what he did with his chakra?" Naruto asked, temporarily forgetting his strife with the older genin.

"He was spreading it all over his body. It was barely there for a second, but his chakra system flashed from blue to white."

Fed up with their cryptic discussion, Sasuke leaned towards Hinata.

"Would you care to explain?"

"I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun, but I didn't have my byakugan activated. I didn't witness what Neji-niisan saw."

Sasuke cursed himself for his stupidity as a realization swept over him. He should have been using his sharingan. Not only could he have seen what was going on, but he also could have potentially copied whatever technique the boy had just used.

He glared across room to the other balcony as the Kumo-nin leaned back against the wall.

The spiky haired genin closed his eyes as his more talkative teammate yammered on and on beside him.

"That Ehl guy is something else," Naruto murmured, gaining several grunts of agreement. They were shaken from their stupor by the ringing of the monitor board, as the names once again began to spin.

"Come on! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEEAAASE!" Naruto whined as the yellow lights flashed through the names of the remaining combatants.

"Patience Naruto. You'll have your turn," Kakashi chuckled placing a hand on head.

"I know sensei, but I'm just so excited! Ohhh! Who is it going to be?"

Hinata was wondering the same thing. She held her hands to her chest as she painstakingly watched the numbers act out their roulette. After several agonizing seconds, her eyes widened as her name finally flashed across the board.

 _Hinata Hyuuga vs. Kabuto Yakushi_

"Alright Hinata! You're up next!" Naruto exclaimed as he slapped her on the back.

"Y-yes," she murmured as she let out a sigh of relief. It felt like a massive weight had been lifted off her shoulders. With the looming presence of her cousin and that red-haired boy from Suna in the room, she had been terrified of who she could have potentially been paired up with.

"Hinata?" Kakashi said, drawing her attention. He placed a hand on her shoulder and offered her one of his patented eye smiles. "I have full confidence in you. Go out there and do your best."

She smiled up at him as Naruto swung his arm around her shoulder. "She's going to kick butt! Now go on down there and try to go easy on him. You got this in the bag! Right teme?"

Sasuke smirked, but gave her an approving nod.

She giggled at their antics. They were just too supportive. With a final good luck, she began making her way downstairs.

Across the room, Kabuto watched their interaction with mild interest. His eyes swept along the balcony until he locked eyes with a Konoha jounin leaning against the wall at the end of the room.

The man's toothy smirk and nod drew him back to his conversation before entering the tower.

* * *

 _"Did you accomplish you objectives, Orochimaru-sama?" he asked as his master emerged from the shadows._

 _"To varying degrees of success. I was quite pleased with Sasuke-kun's performance, and I granted him the mark; however, the Hyuuga was able to escape without my gift."_

 _"Really? I'm surprised a genin was able to escape from you."_

 _"It appears that entire team is full of surprises," he chuckled as the memory of that yellow flash of light echoed in his mind. "We might have to keep an eye on the jinchuuriki as well. Make sure that the Uzumaki boy is also being monitored."_

 _"Consider it done. Are there any other changes to the plan?"_

 _"Yes, actually," Orochimaru replied as he turned to face him, "I no longer want you to excuse yourself from the preliminaries."_

 _"Of course, but why, if I may ask?"_

 _"Despite our interaction in the forest, I didn't get as good a look into Hinata-chan's progress as I would like. Her potential intrigues me to no end, especially if she has truly unlocked the Hyuuga's little secret. I will make the necessary adjustments so that you will face her in the preliminaries."_

 _"As you wish, my lord."_

 _"Good. Oh, this is getting fun," he cackled as he turned to face towards the tower, "Just imagine it, Kabuto. Being able to decipher both the Uchiha stone tablet and Hyuuga stone ring. The ultimate secrets of the clans directly linked to the Sage himself."_

 _"I'm sure it will prove fruitful," Kabuto chuckled, "Before I forget, I also met with our contact within the Hyuuga before the exams. They had a rather peculiar request."_

 _"Really now?"_

 _"They were interested if you would allow them to study Sasuke's body after you are forced to switch out of it. She isn't bothered if you keep the eyes, but she offered a new shipment of fresh byakugan in exchange."_

 _"Let her know I shall consider it. Also tell her that she is free to access our base along the Southern border if he wishes. I know she is getting close with her pet project, and the tools there should help speed things along. If Hinata-chan proves herself in your match, her research could prove valuable."_

 _"As you wish, Orochimaru-sama."_

 _Orochimaru smirked before pausing and gazing off to the East. A sinister grin started plastering itself across his face as a familiar presence entered the range of his senses. It seems they found the bodies._

 _"Start heading towards the tower. I will meet you after the matches are complete. I believe it has been too long since my old student and I last had a chat."_

* * *

"I wish you the best of luck, Kabuto-san," Hinata bowed before slipping into her jyuuken stance.

A smile plastered across his face as her returned a small bow of his own.

"To you as well Hinata-sama. May our match truly push us to our limits."

' _Or at least to yours'_

Hayate gave the signal and Hinata dashed off towards her opponent, striking the first blow against the older genin.

Kabuto definitely beat her in size and in physical strength, but his lankiness made him more open for her short, precise strikes, which Hinata took advantage of in full force. As they exchanged blows, her fingers danced across his skin, leaving a trail of red welts in their wake. A tap here, two jabs there, and she finally started to notice his movements growing slower.

 _'Good. His right arm should be completely locked up by now,'_ she jumped back to prepare her next kata. She paused and steadied her hands, before diving back towards him.

She spun a fake out to his left, before launching a kick towards his right side.

She was caught off guard as his hands shot up and caught her kick with ease. He smirked as he tightened his grip and tossed her across the room.

She spun in mid-air and crashed onto her knees. She slid to a halt and stared up at the boy, who casually smiled at her, with a hand on his hip.

' _What's going on? The muscles in his arm should have been completely locked up._ _'_

"I'm sorry, Hinata-sama, but you're going to have to do better than that," the boy smiled, adjusting his glasses.

She narrowed her eyes as she brought her hands into a hand seal.

"Byakugan!" she cried as the world turned grayscale and the chakra systems of everyone in the room lit up bright blue.

She was surprised by the state of his arm, or rather, the lack thereof. It was completely unscathed, as if nothing had even happened.

"Well, if you won't come to me, I guess I'll have to come to you," he said before launching at her.

She blocked his initial kick, and parried away his oncoming jabs and punches as she searched for an opening.

She knocked up an incoming blow and lashed out with a quick strike to his chest, only for her palm to be caught in his larger hands. As her chakra flooded his tenketsu, he smiled and raised his other arm and shot his flattened palm towards her chest. Her eyes widened at his sudden increase in speed, but she just managed to catch the strike with her free hand.

Immediately, she gasped in pain as she felt the tendons in her hand being torn apart. Tears stung her eyes as she planted her foot on his chest and kicked off of him.

Kabuto made no attempt to follow her as she landed a safe distance away.

He raised his eyebrows as a green glow he was all too familiar with enveloped her free hand.

"Oho. So you are versed in medical ninjutsu as well. I'm quite impressed Hinata-sama. Our art is a practice that is sadly underutilized in the shinobi world. Your interest in the subject says a lot about your personality and intelligence. You should be commended."

Through his speech, she fought back tears as she mended the torn tissue. With her byakugan, she could make out the distinct shape of the chakra scalpels jutsu surrounding his hand.

What really surprised her was the activity going on in the tenketsu of his right palm. She could literally see it shrinking back to its normal size as the foreign chakra was expelled from the system.

"How are you doing that? Your body is somehow recovering from the effects of the jyuuken."

"Call it a specialty of mine. Due to my vast experience in medical ninjutsu, I have developed a technique that keeps my body in a constant state of alert. Once it detects any damage, it begins healing the injury immediately without needing a thought."

Hinata inwardly cursed as she rose back to her feet. She flexed her throbbing hand and started wrapping it in bandages from her bag.

As she rolled the bindings around her palm, she quietly studied her opponent. No questions about it. The first thing she had to do was find a way to overcome his healing factor. If she couldn't, any damage she could possibly inflict would be mute.

She was tempted to simply use her Lion Fang technique to drain away at his chakra for his technique certainly had to use up a lot, but her byakugan revealed that he had the reserves to keep it going for a long time. In fact, it surprised her just how big his reserves actually were. While she was used to seeing monumental amounts of chakra due to being around Naruto, Kabuto's were ridiculously large for a genin. They were almost the size of Kakashi-sensei's!

She grit her teeth as she eyed the razor sharp blade of chakra protruding from his hands. She was also not too keen on getting too close to him again after the revelation of his use of chakra scalpels. It would only take a simply tap or brush against his hands, and her tendons and muscles could be shredded to pieces. While he had yet to truly prove it, for some reason she suspected that he was holding back. Whether it was out of sympathy or contempt, she didn't know, but she could tell that he could probably out-speed her if he really tried.

' _Time to test that healing ability,'_ she thought as she began dashed towards him flying through hand signs.

When she was within five feet, she cried out, "Suiton: Pressure Stream!"

Due to the distance between them, it was all Kabuto could do to dive out of the way to evade the raging stream of water. The pencil-thin stream followed his tragectory, and he winced as it slashed above his ribs.

She was in on him in a heartbeat, pulling out a kunai, and slashing at his arm. He twisted, managing to reduce the slash into a light cut. In annoyance, he lashed out with a speed greater than she could follow and sliced his invisible blade through her left arm.

Hinata cried out in in pain as she landed and jumped back, cradling her arm to her chest.

Kabuto tried to hide his growing irritation as his body got to work repairing the damage. It was truly difficult for him to hold himself back to such extents. He had to be careful. Under the watchful eye of the Hokage and some of the greatest jounin Konoha had ever produced, the tiniest slip up in performance would arouse some suspicions.

Hinata landed on her knees and fought through the pain as she studied the injuries on his arm and chest begin to heal themselves. She noted how the deeper cut on his chest was taking longer than the shallow cut on his arm. It made sense. The greater the injury, the more chakra and time it took to heal it.

' _I need to inflict a major injury. Nothing life threatening, but enough to push his ability to its limit. If I can manage it, it should slow him down and drain at his chakra.'_

She grit her teeth as her chakra got to work repairing the damage.

' _But its not like he's just going to let me do that. He's faster than me, and its even more difficult with his chakra scalpels thrown into the mix. I need something that can give me some kind of edge. The jyuuken may slow him down for a couple of seconds before he recovers, but I need something that will last through the match.'_

* * *

"What should she do sensei?" Naruto asked.

"I'm not sure. That pesky healing ability of his seems to be quite challenging for her to overcome, especially since her technique involves shutting down the body," Kakashi replied.

He folded his arms as he glanced down at his male students. "This is the danger of battling a medical ninja. Many people dismiss them out of hand due to the connotation of their name, and they end up regretting it. Hotheaded shinobi prefer the flashiness of explosive jutsu, but being able inflict lacerations to your opponent's muscles and nervous system with just a simple touch is just as, if not, more effective. Including their nasty tendency to heal any injury, whether it is theirs or their comrade's, you have a devastating enemy who can swing the tide of any mission."

* * *

As her jutsu finished its work, Hinata raised her head and caught eyes with the older genin. He was still standing in place, offering her that same, off-putting smile as he adjusted his glasses, which caused her to pause.

 _'That's it!'_

Her eyes darted across his body as her plan started to fall into place.

' _He may be able to quickly overcome the jyuuken's effect, but it will shut him down for at least a few seconds. Hopefully that will be enough_.'

Kakashi leaned in as he watched his student rise to her feet, a new, steely resolve flaring in her eyes.

' _She's got something. C'mon Hinata. Let's see what you've cooked up."_

She brought her hands together and cried out, "Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Five puffs of smoke erupted next to her and Kabuto was greeted to a line of Hinata scowling at him as they each drew out their kunai. The original reached into her bag and threw down a smoke bomb, enveloping herself and her clones in the purple cloud.

' _Simple illusions are all fun and games, but that level of jutsu is not going to be enough, Hinata-sama. I'm starting to think Orochimaru believes in your ability a bit too much,'_ Kabuto smirked as the wall of clones raced towards him.

 _'She's obviously not in the front. The first is always the distraction, which means the true one is either the third or fourth,'_ he thought as he slowly reached for his own kunai.

He ignored the first, and glancing behind its shoulder towards the approaching group. He prepared to let the intangible image pass through his body, but winced in astonishment as the muscles along his arm and shoulder began to cramp and tense up.

His eyes shot wide open as he stared down into the fierce, byakugan eyes right in front of him.

' _She tricked me! She actually tricked me!'_ he thought in genuine surprise.

He was too slow to recover as she quickly jabbed at his other arm, momentarily disabling it. As his healing factor kicked into effect, she use what little time she had to swipe up with her kunai.

' _Now! While he can't mold his chakra scalpels!'_

Coming back to his senses, Kabuto leaned back to evade her attack. As he jerked back, his glasses lifted shortly off of his face. Her eyes narrowed and she twisted her kunai, changing its trajectory. With one swift motion, she cleanly sliced his glasses in half.

Kabuto growled as he felt his body fully expel the chakra in his tenketsu. He slashed out at her only to be met with air, as she ducked and darted away.

' _Very clever, Hinata. She knows he's faster and physically stronger than she is, so she decided to impede his sight to give her an advantage. Nicely done,'_ Kakashi thought as he smiled down at his student.

 _'I did it! I need to keep up the pressure!'_

She reached into her kunai pouch and threw down three more smoke pellets. Kabuto only smirked as the purple smoke began to surround him.

"I'm sorry, Hinata-sama, but if you think this little show will give you an advantage then you are surely mistaken."

He stood completely still as Hinata disappeared into smoke. He lightly snorted and closed his eyes, losing himself in his other senses.

"A good shinobi does not just rely on their _eyes_. Even if yours are far superior than most, it is a weakness to realy so heavily on one thing. A shinobi must be able to utilize all of their senses, such as smell or…"

He whipped around, grabbing Hinata by her throat, and slammed her into the ground, knocking the wind from her lungs.

"Sound."

He placed a knee on her chest and held his hand above her face, his chakra scalpels flaring to life.

"Submit. I would rather not have to make this messy."

Hinata squirmed under his weight and thrust something up in his face. It took a second for him to recognize the shape, and when he did, it was too late. His eyes widened as the tags began to glow, making his blood run cold.

 _'Exploding Tags!'_

He leapt away at his full speed, putting as much distance as he could between the blast radius and himself.

As he shot of the smoke and after several seconds, he was surprised and stunned by the lack of an explosion. As it finally sunk in, he began to chuckle as he realized that he had been fooled.

"That was a very clever use of genjutsu Hinata-sama. Very well done," he called out.

The smoke began to clear away, revealing Hinata on one knee, fighting to regain her breath.

She was getting nowhere and she knew it. Even after removing his glasses, it barely slowed him down. She needed to find a way to overload his senses, so she could have a chance to get in and disable his body.

Naruto and Sasuke grit their teeth as their hands gripped the handrails.

"That was too close," Sasuke muttered, "She's lucky he fell for her bluff."

C'MON HINATA! YOU CAN DO IT!" Naruto shouted.

Kabuto was starting to get bored of this, and decided she needed to start stepping up her game. If Orochimaru-sama was going to invest time into her, she needed to start proving she was far more capable than this. He shot off towards her, forcing her to start weaving through multiple hand signs.

She took a deep breath and formed a massive swell of chakra in her gut as she shot off a large water bullet at the ground in front of Kabuto.

He leapt through the splash of water, and was on her in seconds. He reared back and kicked at her prone form only to stumble through thin air as the henge faded away. He slid to a stop and turned around just as a kunai flew past his face.

His instinct as a shinobi flared in his mind, and he caught a kunai heading straight towards his face by the handle. A sizzling noise caught his attention, and he realized his mistake too late as the tag tied to the kunai lit up.

The flashbang went off right in his face causing him to scream as his visual and auditory senses were completely overloaded.

Hinata rushed at him with as much energy as she could with her kunai in hand. She slashed numerous times across his chest, dodging out of the way of his flailing arms.

He spun around to deliver a kick, which she easily ducked under. She crossed her arms and slashed the kunai across his chest one last time.

She let the kunai clatter to the floor as she began pumping chakra into her hands until they were glowing bright blue.

"8 Trigrams: 64 Palm Guard!" she cried out as the net of sharp chakra slammed into his chest.

He cried out as the tiny blades of chakra shred across his skin. As fast as his healing factor was, it was being pushed to its absolute limit as the needle like threads bombarded his body.

She finally halted her rotation and delivered one final hit to his chest, sending him flying across the room into the wall.

He slammed into the concrete and fell to the ground as blood seeped from his chest.

He growled as he struggled to his feet, but froze as a kunai landed next to his face with a tag attacked by a string.

"This time that exploding tag is real, Kabuto-san. Please submit. I would rather not make this messy," she cheekily replied, echoing his earlier comment.

Kabuto spat out some blood and glanced up at the balcony at his master. He could see the excitement dancing in his eyes, and took his growing smile for his satisfaction.

 _'She is lucky Kabuto held himself back to such an extent. I'm sure he won't be as forgiving the next time they cross paths,'_ Orochimaru thought as Kabuto raised his hand to surrender.

"Kabuto Yakushi has forfeited the match. The winner is Hinata Hyuuga," Hayate called out, which received a rambunctious applause from Naruto.

"Way to go Hinata! You did it!" he cried as he jumped down and enveloped her in a big hug.

Despite the cloud of steam erupting from her ears from embarrassment, a warm feeling of content washed over her body.

She had done it. She had made it through the preliminaries.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **AND WE ARE BACK! Finally! My laptop is fixed and I am ready to go! While it was an inconvenience, it did create a nice relaxing period over winter break, but now it's time to get back to work.**

 **Also, apologies if there are any discrepancies with this chapter. It's been a few weeks now and it may be a chapter or two before I'm back up to my usual standard.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this clash of medical jutsu users.**

 **Review Corner:**

 **These are going to be pretty empty for the next few chapters to save space, but they shall resume after we are caught up.**


	37. Chapter 37 - The Preliminaries (Part 2)

Chapter 37: The Preliminaries (Part 2)

"Stay down and quit making an embarrassment of yourself, or I'll put you down like the mutt you are."

Kiba growled as he fought to get back to his feet.

Neji impassively shrugged off Kiba's fierce glare as he towered over Akamaru's prone form. The small puppy whimpered as the Hyuuga applied as much pressure as he could without crushing the poor dog.

Kiba struggled to stand up straight and clutched his limp arm to his side. He was not going out like this. Not to some stuck-up bastard like him!

He coughed into his sleeve as he shakily reached into his pack for another soldier pill.

"I wouldn't advise that if I were you. Ingesting too many can have detrimental effects. There is no reason to put yourself at such risk, especially when you know how outclassed you are. All you'll be doing is risking your health for your pride."

"Shut up you bastard! I'm going to tear you apart for what you've done to Akamaru!"

"I could have done much worse," he coolly replied as he watched Kiba gulp down another pill, "If he had stayed down the first time, he wouldn't be in the position he's in now. Trust me, I take no pleasure from injuring a helpless animal, but if you continue, I'll be happy to add another limp body to the floor."

"We'll just see about that!" Kiba shouted as he raced towards Neji.

"Gatsuuga!" he cried out, spinning as hard as he could with his good arm.

Neji calmly stepped back from Akamaru and twisted out of harm's way at the last second. Just as Kiba passed by, Neji whipped out his hand and gripped Kiba's oversized hoodie at the back of his neck. Grinding to a rapid halt, Neji continued his motion and slammed Kiba into the floor.

Not giving him a second to recover, Neji was swiftly upon him. His fingers painfully darting across his arms and legs closing whatever tenketsu that were left open.

Neji brushed off the dust that had accumulated from Kiba's impact and looked over towards Hayate.

"I believe we're done here."

Hayate grimly nodded and raised his arm.

"Winner: Neji Hyuuga!"

* * *

Team Seven was quiet as they watched Kiba and Akamaru carted off towards the infirmary.

 _'So that's why Hinata has always seemed so afraid of Neji. That guys is ridiculous!'_ Sasuke thought as he watched Neji head back towards the stairs.

Hinata wasn't visibly shaking, but Kakashi could tell from her eyes that she was terrified of even the possibility of being in Kiba's position against her cousin. Yet, he noticed something else. She felt pity and remorse. As he watched her eyes follow her cousin up the stairs, the old memory of the Hyuuga incident clicked in his mind.

' _So, you're still carrying that weight on your shoulders?'_ he internally sighed as he stepped next to his student.

"Excellent work Neji, if a little harsh at times," Gai commented as Neji retook his place by his side.

"The fool wouldn't stay down. If he wanted to walk away with fewer injuries, he had plenty of opportunities to do so."

"That is true, and I'm not criticizing your actions during the match. However, you could have ended that much sooner than you did."

Neji scoffed and finally caught sight of Naruto, who had been staring at him since he arrived.

"Got something to say, Uzumaki?"

Naruto shook his head. "I won't defend Kiba for being stubborn, but I don't like it when people beat up on my friends."

"Then find stronger friends," Neji replied as he crossed his arms, "If that slacker was truly destined to move past this point, then he would have. Today, fate favored my victory."

"That's stupid. I don't believe in fate. We make our own paths. No one else."

"Hn. Then he should have worked harder to push his path past mine. Only those with a will strong enough are able to get ahead in this life," he finished his sentence and seemed to fix his glare on Hinata.

Naruto was about to retort again, but he felt a tugging on his sleeve and looked back to see Hinata trying to pull him away from the argument.

He relented at the sight, but sent Neji one last glare before turn walked over to Sasuke's right, away from Neji.

"That guy just drives me crazy. I hope we meet in the next round. I can't wait to wipe that smug look off his face," Naruto angrily muttered as he leaned against the rail.

"Maybe you'll get the chance, but cool off first. You could be coming up soon, and you'll need a level head," Kakashi commented as he placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto huffed and took a deep breath, before nodding to Kakashi that he was good. Kakashi nodded and walked over to his right, and fell in line next to Hinata.

"Thank you for doing that. The last thing we need is Naruto disqualifying himself before his match," he whispered.

"It was no problem, sensei. I would just prefer it if none us had to fight," she whispered as she began twiddling her thumbs.

' _There's the tick again,'_ Kakashi internally sighed as he watched his student subvert into her old habit. It had been weeks since he had last seen her do it, and he had hoped they had expelled it from her system.

After taking in his students, Kakashi had made it his personal mission to help them overcome their greatest, internal challenges. For the boys it was easier. Naruto needed the support and acceptance from a group of people that genuinely cared for him, and his team and Iruka were happy to fill that void. Sasuke was slightly harder, but the boy had already come to him of his own accord, asking how to better control his emotions.

All three of them had faced years of psychological damage, but Hinata was the trickiest. When he had first met her, her entire personality simply screamed submission. From the way she would avert her eyes to her desperate attempts to please others.

She had made astounding progress, and all three of them rubbed off on each other in fantastic ways. Whenever she was alone with her team, her confidence was at an all time high, so it was disheartening to see how fast it could revert into her old behavior.

If she was ever going to fully come out of her shell, there were three things she was going to have to face: her father, her cousin, and Naruto.

Oh, he was not looking forward to that. Kakashi could feel the migraine that would form when that day decided to rear its ugly head. He had gone through the ups and downs of romantic angst enough during his time with his own team.

If he reciprocated her feelings, great. If he rejected them, _greaaaaat._

Kakashi sighed as he watched Naruto fuss once again about Hinata's injuries from her match. He would get so close to her face, he was worried the poor girl was going to pass out. Sasuke would silently watch the two interact, before yanking the blonde by his collar and chastise him for bothering the girl.

Then there was the question of how he would react.

"Excuse me, Lady Hyuuga."

The voice shook him from his thoughts, and the team turned to face the blond haired boy from the Kumo team.

"I thought I would come over and congratulate you. Your performance was quite spectacular, and might I say, you are even more lovely up close."

Hinata turned red at the compliment but smiled and bowed her head.

"Oh, um thank you. And you are?"

"Jay. Jay Oshiro, and I am always at your service," he smirked as a whipped out a yellow rose almost from nowhere. Hinata turned an even brighter shade of red, but took the flower with a stammering thank you.

Sasuke frowned at the interaction, and Naruto was fed up with it. "All right, all right wise guy. Is that all?" he said as he stepping between them.

"And I thought you Konoha ninja were supposed to be the one's preaching about cooperation between villages. What's wrong with trying to get to know someone better?"

Naruto glanced over his shoulder and stared across the hall at the identical rose, sitting on the ground next to the Suna girl's feet.

"Riiiiight," he drawled out as he raised an eyebrow.

The cocky expression of the brunette's face changed to a more apologetic look.

"By the way, I also came over here to thank you for offering your assistance to our team during the second exam. I wanted to apologize for my teammate's rude behavior toward your shadow clone."

Naruto expression shifted and his gaze softened.

"Naw, it's alright. I get it. You didn't know me, and we were in the middle of an exam. No harm, no foul. What happened to your teammate? Is he okay? I noticed he wasn't with you guys."

Jay winced as he took off his hat and rubbed the back of his head. "Ko is doing better. It's a little disappointing what really happened. We were making our way through the forest, when Ko startled an animal from the impact of his landing. The thing launched a volley of spikes that skewered his leg. It's not going to be serious, but it prevented him from competing in the preliminaries."

"I'm sorry. Dam. If only I had been a bit smarter, I should have approached you guys more carefully. I could have led you to Hinata-chan, and she could have helped."

"Naw, it's fine. Ehl probably would have done the same thing, even if you had offered your help. He's not a very trusting guy. Besides, as talented as she may be, it was better we got him to the tower as fast as we did."

He reached into his pouch and pulled out a white, spiked barb. "This here's the culprit. See this?" he asked as he ran his finger along the serrated edge. "This thing isn't designed to come out easily. It's meant to be nightmare going in, but absolute hell coming out."

Even Neji winced at the thought of being struck with, not one, but several of those barbs.

Jay sighed as he placed the barb back in his bag. "Ko's a trooper. Thanks to your doctor's he'll be back on his feet in no time. He was adamant that he'll stay for the finals. He wouldn't miss it for the world."

"I'm glad he's okay. Tell him that I hope he gets well soon," Hinata said.

In a heartbeat, Jay's expression shifted back to his earlier look. "Oh, I'll be sure to. Don't you worry."

All sympathy he had for the guy drained away immediately, as Naruto growled at the interaction.

"If you all are done, you just missed the last match," Neji coldly said, turning their attention back to the floor.

Chouji slumped to the ground, as Dosu loomed over his unconscious body.

"That's a shame," Jay lamented, "I liked that guy. He was very pleasant, when we talked before entering the forest. Now there's a guy who loves to eat."

They all watched as Shikamaru helped Chouji to his feet.

"It's okay Chouji! You did your best!" Ino called out, as Shikamaru helped his friend up the stairs.

"Alright, now whose next?" Naruto asked as his excitement returned, only to fall again as his name failed to show up on the board.

"Would Kankuro and Gaara please come down to the floor?" Hayate called out, as Hinata patted Naruto's back.

"There's no need. I forfeit," Kankuro called out, surprising everyone in the room.

"You sure?" Hayate asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm sure," was his only response as he folded his arms and leaned against the wall.

"Alright then, your call," Hayate said before declaring Gaara the victor.

"Well that was rather dull. Who just gives up without even trying?" Jay said crossing his arms.

"No, he was smart. He would no better than anyone how dangerous that guy is," Naruto said garnering the attention of everyone present.

"What do you mean?" Kakashi asked.

"I ran into that guy in the forest. Er, well my clones did. That guy wiped all of them out within seconds. We're lucky it was only the clones that cross his path," Naruto said as he stared across the room at the red-haired boy.

"What did he do?" Kakashi asked.

"He crushed them all. In seconds, and I mean literally crushed. He destroyed them all with sand.

Jay was silent as he too stared at the boy. _'So that Gaara guy really does live up to his reputation. I guess the Raikage was right after all.'_

Kakashi was also silent as he stored that information for later.

* * *

"Would Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka please make your way to the floor," Hayate called out.

"All right! Finally!" Ino exclaimed as he made her way towards the stairs.

"Oh this should be good," Sasuke scoffed as leaned against the railing.

"Why? Are they very skilled?" Jay asked.

"No, not at all," Sasuke scoffed as he placed his face in his palm.

Hinata knocked his hand from under him, and shot him a disappointed look. "You'll be surprised. I've met with Sakura a few times since were assigned our teams, and she's been taking her training very seriously."

"I'll believe it when I see it," Sasuke replied as he straightened his back and stared down at the floor.

"Are you ready Forehead girl? I've been looking forward to this," Ino said with a cocky smile as she stood opposite from her old best friend.

"So have I, but I'm sorry to say you're not going to like what's about to happen," Sakura replied as she slipped into the new stance Kurenai had been drilling into her head since day one.

"Alright, if both competitors are ready, then you may begin."

Without delay, Ino launched herself towards Sakura. She reared her fist back and took aim right for her face.

Sakura was patient and waited until the last second, before she knocked the punch away with her left hand and smacked Ino in the face with the knuckles of her right hand.

Ino stumbled slightly, but returned with renewed vigor. She grunted with each strike, growing more aggravated as Sakura silently dodged and knocked away every incoming punch.

After extending her punch too far, Sakura lashed out and caught hold of Ino's wrist before delivering a solid hit straight to her jaw.

Ino stumbled away from her, holding her jaw in her hands.

"Lucky punch," she quietly said as she rotated her chin.

"Not luck. This is the result of all the hard work I've been putting in," Sakura replied as she returned to her starting stance, "I'm done being the weak one, even if you aren't."

Ino growled and she lunged forward and fired a punch straight towards her chest. Ino's eyes widened in horror, as her fist seemed to fly straight through Sakura's chest.

"Wh...what?"

Sakura smirked as she delivered a blow to both of Ino's ears, disorienting her. As Ino stumbled away, the Sakura in front of her melted away into the air. Immediately, another Sakura shot up from her right and delivered a punch straight to her face, sending Ino flying back.

Ino slid along the ground, before she wobbled to her feet.

"What the hell was that?"

Sakura smirked as she held up her arm. "Like I said. This is the result of all my hard work. Kurenai-sensei took time with me after training to drill home everything. Better taijutsu, better stamina, and most importantly…"

She waved her arm, and as it moved, multiple arms would appear in the last spot the front arm had been.

"Genjutsu. It seems I have quite the talent for it, Ino-pig," Sakura finished as she waved her mass of hands and wiggled her fingers at her.

"Ino, I want to thank you for everything you did for me at the academy. You taught me to stand up for myself and be proud of who I am. However, I am not the same little girl you stood up for on the playground. I am a kunoichi."

With that, the multiple arms disappeared, and Sakura shot off towards Ino.

Ino reached up to block the first punch, only for her hand to slip right through the oncoming fist to her face. Instead, she wheezed as Sakura nailed her in the gut before delivering a kick to her side.

' _This is really not good,'_ Ino thought as she reached into her bag and threw down a smoke bomb.

Sakura stopped and simply watched as the cloud enveloped her friend.

"That wasn't the best idea," Jay commented as he crossed his arms, "blondie just made things all the more easier for the paint-haired one."

Ino quietly crept through the smoke, trying to put some distance away from Sakura.

"I wouldn't have done that if I were you," a voice whispered behind her back, sending chills up her spine.

She spun around to find nothing behind her. Sweat dripped down her brow as she heard a rustling sound, and whipped around to find nothing again.

"Ino, you are in my world now, and here, I control everything," Sakura's voice taunted as the smoke began to shift and turn black.

Ino squealed as several sets of yellow eyes began lighting up in the smoke and hissing at her.

"This is not real. This is not real. This is not real," she repeated to herself as she closed her eyes.

"Real. That's all perspective. How real does this feel?" Sakura's voice called out as the floor shook.

Ino's eyes shot open and she gasped by the sight before her.

She stumbled back as the tower form a dark figure seemed to be heading towards her in the mist.

"If this isn't real, then this probably won't hurt. Probably."

Ino gulped as the massive foot of Inner Sakura slammed down onto the floor, shaking her off her feet. Its massive yellow eyes bore down at her reared back its fist.

' _I…I need to get out of here! That thing will squish me!'_

Ino snapped her fingers together and tried her best to start molding chakra.

"It's not real. It's not real. It's not real. RELEASE!" she cried out just as the goliath's massive fist was about to collide with her.

The black clouds snapped back to purple, and she bolted up from the ground. Her lungs cried out for air, as she took a deep breath of nothing but smoke.

She took a running start and leaped out of the smoke, only to find Sakura sailing towards her midair with her fist cocked.

Ino didn't have the time or energy as Sakura slammed her fist into her, sending her flying back with a loud "Shannaro!"

Ino smacked against the concrete wall and fell to the floor with a thud.

After several seconds, Hayate called out, "Ino Yamanaka is unable to continue. The winner is Sakura Haruno."

* * *

Sakura's smile lit up her face as she turned and waved at her sensei. Kurenai mirrored her smile, and tried not to shoot Asuma a look as her heart swelled up with pride.

"I hate it when she gets like that," Shino commented, as he lightly clapped, "It can be so distressing. I'm sure Kiba still has nightmares from her little tests."

"You're just still upset that she forced you to think you were being chased by an anteater."

Shino shot his sensei a sharp look under his glasses, but remained silent on the matter.

After bowing to her sensei, a look of concern crept across her face as she jogged over to her friend.

"Hey. Are you okay?" she asked as she knelt down by her side.

"N-not really. I can't get up," Ino winced as she tried to raise herself up.

Sakura's eyes softened and she lifted Ino's arm over her shoulder and lifted her up.

"Come on. Let's get you to the medical bay so they can patch you up."

Ino wanted to argue with her, but remained silent and simply nodded. As they slowly made their way across the room, Ino couldn't help but take quick glances at her old friend, who was carrying her as if their spat had never even happened.

' _Wow. You really have grown up. I can't believe I'm a little jealous, but… in a weird way, I'm proud of you.'_

Sakura felt her gaze and shot her a curious look. Ino got flustered and quickly glanced away, causing Sakura to simply smile as they made their way down the corridor with the help of the medical team.

* * *

"See? I told you," Hinata said crossing her arms and shooting Sasuke a knowing smile.

"Alright, alright. You were right. I owe her an apology. She really has gotten better."

"That was some impressive genjutsu work, if I may say so myself," Jay said as a big smile lit up his face.

Kakashi chuckled as he watched Sasuke slightly buckle under Hinata's stare. ' _Now that is the confident young lady I'm used to seeing.'_

"Now, with that out of the way, who's next?" Kakashi asked drawing their attention to the board once more.

"Come one already! I'm tired of waiting!" Naruto exclaimed as he watched the yellow letters fly across the screen.

 _Jay Oshiro vs. Watane Uturo_

"AAAHHH" Naruto cried out, before he crouched next to the wall and had a little sob.

"Stop it, you idiot. You're making an embarrassment of yourself and us," Sasuke groaned as he pinched his forehead.

"Says you. You were the first to go. You didn't have to wait at all," Naruto cried out through crocodile tears.

Jay clapped and rubbed his hands together.

"Whelp. That's my cue. It's been nice meeting you all."

He turned and offered a deep bow to both Gai and Kakashi. "Sensei." He turned to Hinata and offered her a bow, while tipping his hat, "Lady Hinata," which caused Naruto to send him a glare. He smirked and sent him a wink before jumping over the railing onto the floor.

The last genin from Waterfall took his time going down the stairs, and took a few minutes stretching before the match began.

* * *

"Even the loudmouth got to go before me! Why does the universe hate me?" Naruto sobbed as he smacked his head against the rail.

"Naruto. Please show a little more decorum. We do have foreign visitors here. Besides, this is going to be the first time you'll really get to see a shinobi from Kumo in action," Kakashi said.

Naruto nodded and placed his head in his hands as he lazily watched the match. To be honest, he was really droning it out.

Jay danced backwards around the field with his opponent hot his tail, all the while with his hands stuffed in his pockets. He would just never shut up, and kept taunting his opponent, causing him to grow more and more frustrated in his pursuit of the smart mouthed genin.

Naruto let his eyes wander the balconies as he looked to see who was left. As he gazed over the competitors, he started to realize there was almost no one left. Was he really going to be the last match?

"SHUT UP! " Watane cried as he reared his sword above his head to bear down on Jay. Instantly, he pivoted on the ball of his foot and surged forward. He planted his knee into his opponent's stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He snatched the boy's katana straight out of his hands, and slammed its handle straight into the boy's forehead.

Watane crumpled to the ground in a heap, with Jay planting a foot on his back, all the while, spinning the boy's katana in his hands.

"And the victor is Jay," Hayate called out before going into another coughing fit.

At this point, Naruto had shot up and was counting everyone again. There had to be someone he had missed. There were only twenty-four of them. There shouldn't have been an odd one out. As his eyes scanned over the room, it suddenly dawned on him who was the only person left beside himself.

The scoreboard lit up in bright yellow letters, and displayed the final two names. As his eyes glossed across the name across from his, he felt his heart light on fire with excitement and he turned to match the grin of his opponent.

 _Naruto Uzumaki vs. Rock Lee_

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Admit it. You know you're excited. How is a fuinjutsu versed Naruto going to contend with Lee's godly speed? Find out tomorrow!**

 **I could have released all three chapters at the same time, but it's 12:27 and I want to share these two chapters with you now. Be on the lookout for the finale to the preliminaries**

 **As for this chapter, I really wanted to give Sakura a moment. She really drew the short end of the stick for most of the canon series. While she is nowhere near my favorite character of Naruto, I don't dislike her either. I thought it was time to give her a fair shot and let her shine in one of her two big scenes in this story.**

 **(PS if you didn't get it, that "** ** _greaaaat"_** **was supposed to be sarcastic.)**


	38. Chapter 38 - The Preliminaries (Part 3)

Chapter 38: The Preliminaries (Part 3)

Both boys shared a smirk, before leaping over the railing and falling to the floor.

"Well they're certainly ready to get started," Kakashi commented dryly.

"Yosh! This is perfect, my eternal rival! Now we shall get to see the fruits of our labor pitted against one another, proving whose teaching method is truly superior!"

"Huh, did you say something Gai?"

Neji sighed at his sensei's antics, and tried to ignore the man as he griped about his rival's "coolness". He glanced down at the navy and green blurs jogging their way towards their starting positions and scoffed.

' _Hurry up and finish this, Lee. The sooner this is over, the sooner we can begin training for the finals. We'll need all the time we can get,'_ he thought as he glanced over at Sasuke and Gaara.

' _Then again,'_ he thought as the corner of his lip began to twitch upwards, _'it should be entertaining to watch Uzumaki being tossed around.'_

* * *

Neither opponent could wipe the grins from their faces as they stared each other down.

"I have been looking forward to this, Naruto-kun. I am sure you will prove to be a fierce opponent!" Lee said as he slipped into his signature stance.

"Same here. I hope what my team said about you wasn't all talk because this is gong to be awesome," Naruto chirpily replied as he bounced on the balls of his feet.

"Come on! We're ready when you are," he shouted towards the ref,who simply sighed in annoyance.

"If both opponents are prepared, then you may begin," he droned as he brought down his hand.

Both genin shot off in a blur and collided in the center of the arena. Neither dropped their smile, even as Lee delivered the first punch straight into Naruto's face. They darted around the arena, clashing and trading blows, with Naruto mostly being forced on the defensive under Lee's fierce barrage of punches.

Naruto's eyes lit up as he spied an opening, and shot a punch at his gut. He was shocked as Lee's hand quickly shot down and caught his hand, before he raised his leg higher than Naruto could stretch and nailed him in the head.

Naruto stumbled back, and shook his head to clear the disorientation. Naruto glanced back at Lee, who had slid back to his original stance, and couldn't help but smile.

This was great.

He took a deep breath and launched himself at his green-clad opponent once again.

* * *

"Just as I thought," Kakashi muttered.

"What's wrong sensei?" Hinata asked.

"Sasuke, when we first started training together, why did Naruto always lose to you in a spar?"

"The dobe may still be faster than me, but his technique at the time was just atrocious. He could move, I'll give him that, but his style was incredibly sloppy."

"Agreed. You two were able to stay around equal footing because you each outperformed each other in one area or another. As his technique improved, it was harder for you to predict his moves, until you obtained your sharingan that is. Lee is a different story. Here we have an opponent, who beats Naruto in speed and even out shines you in taijutsu finesse"

He crossed his arms as he stared down at the two. Neither of them was willing to back down as they clashed once again.

"Naruto has gotten better, don't get me wrong, but if he's still having trouble with you, Sasuke, it's hard for me to see how he'll be able to best Lee in taijutsu."

No sooner than the words left his mouth, Naruto blocked Lee's most recent barrage of blows and smacked a clean hit straight into Lee's cheek, causing Kakashi to raise an eyebrow.

Lee shrugged off the blow and came at him with renewed vigor. The two traded punches once again, with Naruto mostly on the defensive; until he reached up and caught Lee's right hook in his left hand, and bashed the outside of his knuckles into Lee's left cheek.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes as he leaned forward. Something was off here, but he just couldn't place it. It took him awhile to realize it, but as Naruto got more and more hits in, Kakashi realized Lee was getting slower.

It was gradual, but there was a definitely a difference compared to how he was performing at the beginning of the match.

Naruto ran forward and jumped up. He brought down his leg, which Lee was able to block by crossing his arms. Naruto twisted as he fell and pushed off the ground with his hands. He spun around with a clear right hook, but Lee was still unable to block the incoming punch.

"How is he doing it?" Sasuke murmured.

"I'm curious as well. Your thoughts, Gai?" Kakashi asked as everyone turned to him.

Gai was silent. His focus was sharp, and his eyes never left the two as he watched them dance around each other. This was the serious side of Gai that Kakashi appreciated when they were on missions. As ridiculous as Gai could act, he wasn't renowned as the taijutsu master of Konoha for nothing.

"Watch closely in their next encounter. It will be about four seconds into their next exchange."

The group anxiously watched as Lee and Naruto clashed again. Their game had become a much more even display of ability, as Naruto and Lee were both being forced on the defensive.

Just as Naruto bobbed his head out the way of Lee's fist, his left hand shot up and gently tapped Lee's elbow, before he was forced to block Lee's upcoming hit.

"Did you see it?" Gai asked.

"There it is," Kakashi replied. He notice Sasuke confused glanced and tapped at his headband. "Activate your sharingan. You should see it clear as day."

Sasuke was confused, but he went along anyway.

"You too miss Hinata, Neji. Your byakugan should allow you to see it as well."

The Hyuuga cousins were surprised, but both activated their byakugan out of curiosity.

As the three dojutsu users observed the two boys, they each noticed several, glowing dots scattered along Lee's arms and legs.

"Are those…seals?" Hinata gasped.

"Indeed. Gravity seals if I had to guess," Gai replied, "Your teammate is slowly, but surely, reducing Lee's speed with every encounter. I believe it's happening too quickly for him to truly alter the intensity of the seal, but his plan is working."

 _'Very clever, dobe,'_ Sasuke smirked as he watched Lee kick off and do several back flips away from his opponent.

* * *

 _'Naruto-kun truly is a worthy opponent. I do not understand how he is doing it, but I' being worn down faster than I should be. What is he up to?'_

Naruto smiled in satisfaction from his last hit to Lee's shoulder. That wasn't to say he was without his own scratches. His cheek was swelling from a particularly, nasty hit, but his smile never left his face.

He could now tell what Sasuke and Hinata had been talking about. The guy was a beast! He easily outranked him in speed, and his taijutsu ability was on another level.

' _Thank you, Jiraiya-sensei. Marking makes things so much easier!'_

Ever since they had their little lesson, applying fuinjutsu in combat had become a breeze. Now it was like Hinata-chan's technique, where all he would need was a simple touch.

Of course, he didn't want to hurt the guy too badly. If the gravity seals were too harsh, they could end up crushing his bones, or the guy could injure himself in a struggle to stand up.

This may have been a competition, but this guy was a fellow shinobi of Konoha and a friend to Sasuke and Hinata. Besides, the guy had truly seemed sincere about helping them in the forest. He couldn't hold that against him. No, that irritation was reserved for Neji.

"Alright Lee, how much longer can you keep this up? Cause I'm having a blast!" Naruto called out.

Lee shot him a smile in return, and fought to raise his arms back to his starting position.

"I don't know what you are doing to me, Naruto-kun, but I will overcome it. I shall fight as long as there is breath in my chest."

Naruto smile grew even wider. ' _Time for round two.'_

He got ready to shot off, but was surprised when Gai called out from the balcony.

"Alright Lee! I think it's time that you took them off!"

Sasuke and Hinata sent him a confused look, and Lee's face was full of shock.

"R-really, Gai-sensei? But I thought you said that was for emergencies only?"

"Yeah, I did! But this is an exception!"

Gai gave him a thumbs up and flashed his teeth. "Go ahead and show him what you got!"

"R-really? Really!" Lee exclaimed as a bright smile crept to his face.

Naruto was still confused as he watched Lee squat on the ground and begin lifting up his leg warmers. His confusion turned to surprise as Lee unraveled several bindings from his legs.

"Are those-"

"How old fashioned," Shikamaru droned.

"Ahh. That feels so much better. Now I can move freely!"

Naruto squinted his eyes as he made out the symbols on the weights. His eyes shot open as he recognized the insignia of the seals.

' _WHAT THE HELL! THOSE ARE_ -'

* * *

Temari smirked as she watched the green clad boy drop the weights from his hands.

' _Does he really expect to make that much of a difference by dropping a few pounds of weig-'_

Everyone's jaw hit the floor as the impact shook the floor, sending a cloud of dust into the air.

* * *

"What the hell!" Sasuke exclaimed.

' _Gai, you are too much,'_ Kakashi sighed.

Naruto gulped as he recognized the level of gravity seals decorating each piece of metal. ' _That's…that's over fifty pounds each! And he was still this fast?"_

Naruto felt a sinking feeling in his gut as he realized how much trouble he was really in.

Lee held a more mischievous look on his face as he bounced around, adjusting to his new weight.

"Are you ready to proceed, Naruto-kun?"

"Honestly, I think I may need a minute," he muttered before he blinked and Lee sent him flying backwards several feet.

' _I didn't even see him move. That just insa-"_

He couldn't even finish his thought as he felt Lee plant his foot into his back, sending him hurtling back the way he had came.

' _No time to think,'_ Naruto thought as he reached into his pouch for the first kunai he could find.

He could feel Lee dashing toward him, and blindly slashed out with his kunai. Lee came to a screeching halt, and knocked his hand so hard that he dropped his kunai.

In the time that the kunai had barely fallen three inches, Lee landed a short punch to Naruto's ribs.

Naruto grit his teeth and growled, as he grabbed hold of Lee's other hand.

Lee slightly paused and was shocked as he stared into Naruto's eyes. Slanted pupils stared straight back at Lee's pitch black eyes, before glancing at something in between them.

Naruto raised his foot and ignored the pain as he kicked the falling kunai back up towards Lee's face.

Lee was easily able to knock the boy away, and managed the escape the path of the kunai with only a scratch. It continued along its path and lodged itself into the ceiling.

He didn't know what Naruto had just done, but he did not want to give him a chance to do it again.

Lee shot off and easily ducked under Naruto's guard, delivering three rapid hits into his stomach and one in his cheek.

Naruto was sent flying backward and rolled like a ragdoll across the ground.

Lee paused as he watched the blonde cough several times, before shakily rising to his feet.

"If your injuries are too severe, I regretfully suggest that you surrender Naruto-kun. I don't want to have to hurt you anymore than I have to."

Naruto weakly laughed and sly grinned back at him. His slanted eyes and whisker marks truly helped accent his devious look.

"Sorry to tell you this, but I don't exactly know how to quit."

Lee smiled lightly before getting ready to charge again.

Naruto crossed his fingers together and shouted, "Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"

Lee paused as the whole room went up in smoke, and was surprised as he was met with a sea of blonde hair and navy shirts staring back at him.

Lee stared back at the horde of cheshire grins, and his own smile grew even wider.

The original Naruto smirked as he shouted, "Let's play a game of needle in the haystack; except this time, the haystack is also fighting back. Boys, sick em!"

"YES SIR!" the crowd echoed as Naruto leaped back behind the front lines. As one, the crowd charge at Lee, who remained planted in his spot, content to let them come to him.

* * *

To say it was disorienting for everyone watching would be an understatement, it was like watching a hive of insects swarming around its prey. There was so much sensory overload that Sasuke had to turn off his sharingan. There was just so much going on that it was giving him a headache to try and keep track of it all

Lee remained cool and confident, and proceeded to decimate every wave that descended upon him. All it would take was a quick jab or sharp kick to send each clone back to their master.

As he dismantled the incoming clones, his eyes scanned the back rows for the original searching for the one, who seemed to be standing still and observing.

' _There you are!'_

Lee shot off, sending clones flying in his wake as he tore after the Naruto in the back to his right. The blonde's eyes widened as he descended upon him, and just as his fist was about to make contact, he substituted with another clone and reappeared on the other side of the arena.

And this is how their game continued to play out. Naruto would summon wave after wave of five clones at a time, to take on Lee, who would dismantle them and slowly reduce the size of the crowd.

As time went on, Lee was starting to slow down, which gave each clone the opportunity they were waiting for. Just as before, all would take is a gentle tap, and he would be tagged with a gravity seal.

Once again, Lee began to feel himself getting slowed down. The clones were starting to get lucky with their hits and they were tiring him out.

' _I apologize, Naruto-kun, but it seems you are giving me little choice.'_

* * *

Naruto smirked as he saw Lee coming to an abrupt stop.

' _Now is my chance!'_

He summoned another clone and quickly dispelled it, signaling all of the clones to converge on Lee at once.

The mass of clones halted their courses, and all jumped at him at once. Just as they were about to reach him, there was an explosion of light and a cry shouting, "Fifth Gate: Open!" Every clone within a ten-foot radius of Lee went up in smoke from the shockwave alone, stunning the seven clones and original off to the side.

The stood in silence and awe as Lee reappeared from the blinding light. His eyes had changed to a bright white, and his skin was bright red. Steam poured off from his face and arms, as he struggled to contain the overwhelming energy.

* * *

"That is not good," Kakashi said, as he turned around glared at Gai.

"What's going on sensei?" Hinata asked.

Kakashi ignored her as he and Gai locked eyes.

"You actually taught a genin how to open the Inner Gates? Gai, you should know better than that. "

"Yes, I did," Gai cooly replied, "Lee was aware of the risks, and he was ready for it. Besides, he doesn't know how to open them fully. There is a level of maturity and ability that he must reach first."

"What do you two mean?" Sasuke chimed in, tired of waiting for answers.

"It means… Naruto is about to be in for a world of hurt," Kakashi replied as they looked down in the arena.

* * *

' _This guy is just ridiculous!'_ Naruto had never trained to be a sensor, but even he could feel the raw amount of chakra that was pumping through Lee's body.

' _This is not good._ _I need to think of something fast! What can I d-'_

He was cut off as Lee tore through his final line of clones.

"Found you!" he exclaimed as he launched Naruto into the air.

Naruto opened his mouth to scream, but nothing came out as the wind was knock out of his lungs. Wind stung his face as he catapulted towards the ceiling. He barely had time to breath before he was launched yet again, back towards the ground, by another painful kick. And then another. And another.

Lee tossed him around the air like a human pinball machine. Knocking him back and forward. Disappearing only to reappear and launch him another direction.

Naruto had no time to think. No time to move. He could only endure the pain, as he was volleyed through the air.

' _It's time!'_ Lee thought as he began to loosen the bindings around his hand. ' _I was hoping to save this for you, Neji, but it seems I'm going to have to use it now_.'

Lee launched Naruto one last time straight up in the air, before kicking off right behind him. Lee's bindings began moving as if they had a mind of their own, and began to wrap around Naruto's body until all movement was restricted.

Lee grabbed hold of his side's and began spinning as they made their descent towards the ground.

"PRIMARY LOTUS!"

"Naruto-kun!"

"Come on dobe! Do something!"

Naruto closed his eyes and reached out for something, anything he could use. A familiar, bright sensation echoed through his head, and his eyes shot open. Lee continued his path towards the ground, and just before the impact, he felt his grip on his opponent disappear entirely.

Lee slammed into the ground, sending concrete flying as a result of the massive crater. Everyone was quiet as they waited to see who would emerge first.

* * *

As the dust began to settle, they could hear Lee cry out in pain as he struggled to stand up. Ignoring the aching pain all over his body, Lee reached up with his hand and tried to drag himself out of the crater. At the center of the indention was a pile of bandages, with Naruto nowhere to be seen.

"Where did he go?" Ino exclaimed as they began scouring the room.

A violent gagging sound caught everyone's attention as a splash of a green and red liquid splattered to the ground from the ceiling.

Everyone raised their heads and was shocked to see Naruto crouching upside down on the roof of the room. In his right hand, he clutched the strangely shaped kunai he had launched into the ceiling earlier in the match.

"How did he…?"

' _That doesn't make any sense,'_ Shikamaru thought as he narrowed his eyes. He caught sight of the strange design on the kunai before glancing back at Naruto, who was trying his best not to fall from the ceiling. ' _What did Naruto just do?'_

* * *

Hinata let out a sigh of relief as she watched Naruto carefully drop down from the ceiling and stumble to the floor. That had been too close.

' _I don't know if he somehow planned that, but that was an excellent move. If he hadn't used the Hiraishin, I don't want to think about the state he'd be in right now,'_ Kakashi thought as he watched his student struggle onto his arms and legs.

' _How did he do it? How did he escape?_ ' Neji thought as he leaned against the rail. He didn't know when had grown so invested in this match, but now he couldn't peel his eyes away.

* * *

"Please make the room stop spinning," Naruto mumbled as he held a hand over his mouth. His whole body felt like hell. Besides the aching pain from being a human punching bag, the whole world wouldn't stop shaking as he desperately attempted to reorient himself.

He clutched his stomach as the trace amounts of Kyuubi chakra circulating in his system began repairing the damage to his stomach.

' _Thanks, I guess, you stupid fox.'_

His attention was disrupted as he saw Lee drag himself out from his crater. Without Naruto, Lee had taken the full brunt of his own attack. He clutched his left arm to his side, and Naruto winced as he saw what condition it was in. From how it hung limply at his side and the angle it was twisted, his arm was clearly broken.

Despite his injuries, Lee still seemed to be in better condition than he was. Naruto could barely stand, let alone move. His entire body felt like he'd been trampled over by a hoard of oxen.

Lee panted as he raised his head and glared at his opponent. Naruto gulped as he saw the irritation growing in those blank eyes.

' _Oh, I'm in trouble_.'

Lee never seemed like a scary guy, but with that expression and his red, steaming skin contrasting against his white eyes, he was downright terrifying.

He crouched down and began sprinting towards Naruto as fast as he could.

' _Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!'_

Naruto's eyes shot open, and he clasped his hands together. As Lee rocketed towards him, he slammed his hands to the ground. Upon contact, black markings began to appear. As kanji spread out around him, he looked up to see Lee's fist inches from his face.

The world seemed to stop as he watched the fist grow closer and closer.

With the few milliseconds of time he had left, his mind had one simple thought, ' _Activate!'_

At once, the black markings glowed white and sprung to life. Lee's fist crashed into a wall, as Naruto was enveloped in a blue cube.

Naruto let out a sigh of relief and fell back on his butt. "Barrier seal, complete," he sighed as he glanced up at Lee.

' _That ought to hold him off for a while.'_

Lee took a few seconds to stare at the barrier before lifting his good arm back and slamming it down with all his might.

' _Or not,'_ Naruto gulped as he watched cracks begin to appear on its surface. He crawled back onto his hands and knees and clasped his hands over the seal. As Lee continued to wail on its walls, Naruto fought with every ounce of his concentration to keep up his barrier.

' _This isn't going to last me forever. I need a plan.'_

He opened an eye and glanced up at Lee, who continued to swing at the barrier, chipping away at it with each blow.

Naruto squinted his eyes as he noticed the massive amount of steam that was now trailing from Lee's body. He could literally see the sweat dripping down Lee's face evaporating after coming in contact with his burning skin.

A light bulb seemed to go off in his head. ' _All that work he's been doing has got to eat up a lot of energy._ '

He eyes the barrier around him, as his plan started falling into place.

* * *

"He's got something," Sasuke muttered as he anxiously watched the match with his sharingan.

"How can you tell?" Hinata asked.

"He has that look on his face. This match is about to be decided right here."

"How are you so sure?"

"He's going to have to lower that barrier to confront Lee. If Lee can get to him before he can enact his plan, he's finished."

Hinata was silent as she watched Naruto get ready for his final plan.

* * *

Naruto took a deep breath as he looked up at Lee. He had to time this just right. Just as Lee began his swing.

As Lee reared back for another punch into the cracking, blue walls, Naruto exhaled and dropped the barrier. Lee stumbled forwards as the wall of chakra disappeared, and he was momentarily stunned by Naruto's choice. Naruto mustered as much energy as he could, and quickly jumped backwards.

Lee was quick to catch himself, and prepared to shoot after him.

As his legs pushed off of the ground, Naruto raised his hands in another hand sign. He watched as Lee yet again rocketed towards him with his fist outstretched and waited as long as he could.

"ACTIVATE!"

The barrier seal sprung to life again, as Lee smashed into its walls. Lee was stunned and confused as he realized he was now trapped inside Naruto's barrier.

Naruto weakly chuckled as he crossed his fingers together and shouted, "Kage Bunshin no jutsu!" Three puffs of smoke erupted beside him, and he shot them a confused glance.

' _Three? I meant to call five. I must be running lower on chakra than I thought._ '

After some inner debate, he reached into his bag and swallowed a soldier pill. Uggh, did it taste nasty, but it would get the job done. He felt the swell of chakra and energy sweep through his system, and he nodded at his clones. Lee began to panic and glanced back and forth between them as they started to surround the cube.

In unison, each of them began running through hand signs. Lee rushed at the wall, banging as hard as he could, but he was too late, as they brought their hands to their mouths and shouted, "Katon: Fox Hellfire no jutsu!"

Streams of yellow fire burst from their lungs, and shot towards the cube. Lee winced as he watched the jutsu heading towards the barrier and closed his eyes as it made impact. After several seconds, he was surprised to see that the barrier was still standing.

' _What was he doing?'_

* * *

"So that's what he's after," Gai mused as he watched his student slam against the roof of the barrier in an attempt to free himself. "Congratulations Kakashi. Your student fought a fine match. You should be proud."

"What do you mean, Gai-sensei?" Hinata asked.

"This match is over. It ended the moment Naruto trapped Lee inside that barrier jutsu. If you'll notice, Lee's movements are becoming slower."

Indeed, with each attempt, Lee's strikes against the ceiling of his prison became weaker and weaker. It was also getting harder to see him as steam started fogging up the barrier.

"Is all that steam coming from Lee's body?" Sasuke asked as he started to put the pieces together.

"Correct," Gai replied, "When Lee activates the Inner Gates, his body has to compensate for all the energy he is burning at once. The amount of chakra shooting through his body heats up his skin exponentially, which causes any sweat he may form to cool himself off to evaporate immediately. Young Naruto is effectively sweating him out. The more Lee tries to escape, the more energy and water he expends, and let's not forget he is still struggling against the gravity seals placed on him throughout the match. Naruto is going to dehydrate Lee until he doesn't have the energy to carry on."

The genin were stunned as they watched Lee's attempts grow more and more futile, until they could no longer hear the sound of him banging on the barrier. After a few more seconds to be sure, each of the clones finally cancelled their jutsu and the original cancelled the seal.

The pent up steam flooded the air, and everyone held their nose as the stench of sweat filled the room. Naruto dropped to one knee and his clones began to pop one by one.

As the mist cleared, everyone could see the prone form of Lee excessively panting from his mouth.

Hayate strolled up to the boy, and knelt next to his side.

"If you can still move, try to raise your hand."

Lee winced as he tried to follow his simple instruction. He pushed as hard as he possibly could, but after everything that had happened, all stacked on top of each other, he simply didn't have the energy to do it.

Hayate nodded his head and patted the boy on the shoulder.

"You did spectacular kid," he whispered before rising back up.

"Rock Lee is unable to continue. The winner is Naruto Uzumaki."

A tired smile lit up his face, as Naruto found the energy to lift his arms to sky and shout, "YATTA!"

Everyone in the room was shell-shocked as the long match final drew to a close.

* * *

"That was…"

"Phenomenal. Well done, Naruto," the Hokage whispered to himself.

 _'Way to go brat! You pulled it off,'_ Anko smirked.

Despite his exhaustion, Naruto pushed his body to move and he made his way over to Lee.

Lee was heavily panting as the medical team began their work on him. As he noticed Naruto drawing closer, he tried to speak, but his throat was just too dry.

"Don't overexert yourself. You were incredible," Naruto weakly laughed as he patted him on the shoulder. Lee weakly smiled as his eyes and skin began to change back to their regular hue.

"Here. Let me deactivate those gravity seals for you." Naruto brought his hands together and mouthed, "Release."

Lee sighed as he felt the accumulated weight finally lift from his chest.

Naruto noticed Lee trying to move his hand, and was surprised when the boy gave him a thumbs up. He smirked and said, "When the exams are over, you better believe we are going to fight again. I'll be even stronger next time, so you better train even harder if you want to stand a chance."

Lee gave him one last smile, before the medical team began moving him off towards the infirmary.

"Naruto-kun!" a voice called behind him.

He turned around to see Sasuke and Hinata jogging towards him, with Kakashi lazily strolling in the back.

"That was unbelievable! You did it!" she said as she slid down next to him.

"Even I'll admit, that was actually impressive" Sasuke smirked as he stepped up beside him.

Naruto shot them a grin, before his eyes began to droop.

"Thanks you guys...I'm going to sleep now. Goodnight."

And with that, he face-planted into the ground.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **And there you have it. With that, we can finally draw the preliminaries to a close. I hope you guys enjoyed this last fight because it was a total joy to write. (It's crazy. We're almost at 40 chapters!)**

 **One thing I have found** ** _incredibly_** **frustrating is writing actual hand-to-hand combat (which Lee specializes in). While, yes, most of Hinata's fights include taijutsu combat, I have it so that she cannot just disable her opponent with the jyuuken. She has to think her way around the problem and come up with inventive solutions. Actual fistfights with blocking and feints are much harder to transfer from my mind to paper.**

 **During my first draft, I considered just having Lee fight Gaara as usual and skipping over them, but, like most, Lee is one of my favorite characters. It would be a shame to just gloss over the chance to write an interesting fight with him. So, if the reader is already in the mindset that Naruto is going to progress anyway, why not set him up with the greatest obstacle he could possibly face at this time?**

 **Now with that out of the way, who's ready for a month of training? Everyone is finally settling in for some down time, before shit hits the fan once again in the finals. The major mysteries of our story are starting to rear their heads once again as more clues are coming up.**

 **What other stories does Hinata's scroll still hold? Just who really is Kitsune? Who is Orochimaru's contact within the Hyuuga? And what does he want with Sasuke's body? Stay tuned to find out (god that sounded like a cheesy TV show ending).**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To TimeShifter)**

 **While Orochimaru is certainly one of the major villains, I wouldn't exactly call him** ** _the_** **villain of this story. As for how he acquired his knowledge, if you go back to Chapter 36, you will find your answer.**

 **(To TheRoadtoHell666)**

 **…I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but… (You get the picture.) Fixing Ino's character development was never really a goal when I planned out this story. She'll have a minor role later down the line, but I'd rather let you know now than get your hopes up.**

 **(To TheGodfather93)**

 **Thank you for pointing that out. I'll make sure to go back and edit that later down the line.**

 **(To zigmas)**

 **That's exactly the point. When I originally set out to write this story, there were three things I had in mind: have a competent, but not overpowered Naruto who utilized the Hiraishin, substitute Hinata for Sakura as our lead heroine while still respecting both characters, and add more depth to the Ootsutsuki storyline than Kishimoto did.**

 **(To HJSDGCE)**

 **Glad you like him. The purpose of Team Tesla has changed considerably the more this story has developed. While their original purpose has been scrapped, they are still a fun, little group that serves as a nice obstacle for our tournament, while setting up future stories down the line (I'll reveal what their original purpose was once I reach that point in the story).**


	39. Chapter 39: Setting Out On Wayward Paths

Chapter 39: Setting Out On Wayward Paths

"Thanks you guys... I'm going to sleep now… Goodnight." And with that, Naruto face-planted into the ground.

Kakashi chuckled as he watched Hinata fret over her unconscious teammate.

' _To think, even with the effects of a soldier pill coursing through his system, his body still gave out.'_

He turned and watched as Gai gave some last words of approval before his student disappeared down the hall to the medical wing.

' _You should be proud, Gai.'_

Kakashi stood by his students' side as the medical team came in to lift Naruto up on a stretcher. As they started leading him towards the medical bay, Kakashi raised his hand and caught Hinata's shoulder, when she started to follow.

"Don't worry. He'll be fine. I have a feeling he's going to be sleeping this off for the next day. Besides, you need to stay and listen for the next line ups," Kakashi said.

"But-"

"Afterwards, we are free to do whatever we want. We'll wait for him as long as necessary."

Hinata still seemed reluctant, but she eventually gave in and nodded.

"Good. Now let's join the others and line up. Sasuke, let's get going."

* * *

As the Sandaime gave his speech commending the victors, Sasuke finally had a moment to settle his thoughts. No matter how many times he tried, he just couldn't shake that final image out of his head. Naruto, with that ridiculous smile of his, standing victorious of Lee's panting form.

Sasuke already knew not to underestimate his blonde teammate. After all of the training and missions they had gone through, he knew the blonde's abilities better than anyone. Yet, he still felt a sense of shock at seeing him overcome an obstacle, he probably couldn't have handled himself.

That made him excited. He couldn't quite explain it. He didn't know whether it was jealousy or anticipation, but the competitive flame that had been stoked in his heart was now burning twice as fiercely as before.

It was a wake up call for sure.

' _You both better train hard. I won't be left in the dust by either of you,'_ he thought as he cast a glance at his one present teammate.

"…with that being said. I now hand it over to the exam proctor for our final words," the Sandaime finished.

Anko had a big smile as she stepped forward and gave the group a mock salute.

"I gotta say brats, not too bad. I'm gonna skip the whole ' _you should be proud of yourselves'_ crap, and just get on to the good part. You all pushed this hard to get here, now let's find out what your next hurdle to overcome is going to be."

One by one, Anko made her way down the line of remaining participants and offered them the box containing their numbers.

"Let's start with you, fire-crotch," Anko said with a smile as she stood in front of Gaara.

The boy shot her an unholy glare, but simply showed her the piece of paper, revealing the number 7.

"I have 11," replied Temari.

"And I got number 10!" Jay replied, shooting Temari a wink.

"2," Ehl grunted, rolling his eyes at his teammate's antics.

"8," Dosu gruffly responded, before shooting Gaara a glare.

"4," Sakura said cheerfully.

"…12," Shikamaru droned, causing Jay to deflate as he realized he wasn't matched with Temari.

"9," Hinata called out, causing Jay to perk back up.

"5," Sasuke replied as he looked down the line at the remaining participants.

"6," Shino said coolly, earning a nod from Sasuke.

"3," Neji responded coldly, as he glared at his pink-haired opponent.

"And that means the runt will be stuck with number 1. It's been a blast watching you munchkins tear each other apart, so I wish you all the best of luck in your next matches. For those of you who weren't paying attention, look to the board for your matchups," Anko called out with a theatrical wave at the monitor.

As the screen lit up yellow, everyone's eyes darted to their first opponent. Some smiled, some trembled, and other's couldn't care less.

 _Naruto Uzumaki vs. Ehl Honda_

 _Neji Hyuuga vs. Sakura Haruno_

 _Sasuke Uchiha vs. Shino Aburame_

 _Sabaku no Gaara vs. Dosu Kinuta_

 _Hinata Hyuuga vs. Jay Oshiro_

 _Sabaku no Temari vs. Shikamaru Nara_

* * *

( _The next morning)_

" _We're going to need to get it today. We don't know what sensei has planned for him. Did you find the right model?"_

 _"Yeah I did, but I still don't have enough saved up to pitch in for the cost."_

 _"I told you I'd be happy to pay for it."_

 _"And I told you I want to help with that. You shouldn't have to pay for the whole thing. I'd feel like I didn't really contribute anything."_

 _"Oh don't be silly. You're the one who thought of it."_

"What are you two whispering about?" a voiced called out behind them.

The pair yelped and jumped away from their huddle to see Sasuke making his way across the clearing towards their bridge.

"N-n-nothing Sasuke-kun! Nothing at all," Hinata nervously laughed as she shook her head.

"Uh-huh. Sure. Anything I ought to know?"

"No way, teme. It's a secr-" Naruto was painfully cut off as Hinata jabbed him in the side.

"No, Sasuke-kun. We were just discussing the line-ups for the exams."

"Whatever," Sasuke said, letting the issue drop as he leaned against the wooden rail.

"Hinata-chan! Why?" Naruto lightly cried as he cradled his hip.

"Has sensei shown up yet?" Sasuke asked, ignoring the blonde's antics, "I know he sometimes wants us look for him, but I don't think today is really the day for that."

"No, " Hinata replied, shaking her head, "I checked just to be sure with my byakugan a little earlier, but he isn't in any of the trees surrounding the field. It's strange. He's usually here five minutes before – NARUTO UZUMAKI! YOU LEAVE THOSE ALONE!"

She whipped around and glared down at Naruto, who was attempting to remove his bandages once again. Naruto gulped as her fierce white eyes bore down on him, which reminded him a little too much of her cousin.

"S-Sorry, H-Hinata-chan. I can't help it if they're itchy. Everything will be healed in a day or two anyway," he whined.

"Those bandages are going to stay on, and I don't want to hear another word about it," Hinata replied as reached into her pack for more salve. "Now stand still, I want to apply more cream to that bruise on your face."

"But it stiiiings!" Naruto whined, yet he remained still as Hinata brought her hand up to his face.

"It will only hurt a second," Hinata soothed him as she dabbed her finger across the purple welt, causing him to flinch. After a few more seconds, she smiled and placed her salve back into her bag. "That should reduce the swelling, and make it a little easier with eating."

Of course, Naruto lit up at that.

"Yo," came a voice at the base of the bridge, catching them off guard.

They all turned around to see Kakashi casually standing there with his hands in his pockets.

"You're a little late sensei. I hope it won't become a habit again," Hinata jokingly chided.

"Sorry, I just had to make some final adjustments for each of your training for the next month."

That caught everyone's attention, and they all fell silent. He nodded his head, and they quietly followed as he led them across the clearing towards the training posts.

He motioned for them to sit, and they each leaned back against the wooden posts.

"I first want to let you know how proud I am that all of you managed to make it this far. You all dug deep and pushed through everything I threw at you in the last few months. No matter what the results may bring during the finals, I want you all to know that you are chunin material in my book. Great work."

They each took the compliment in stride. Hinata blushed and offered him a light smile. Sasuke was pleased as well, and even offered him one of his rare, light-hearted smiles. Of course Naruto was beaming ear-to-ear, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment."

Kakashi clapped and rubbed his hands together. "Alright. Here's the rundown. Now, I would love for us to keep working together as we have, but I'm afraid that can no longer be the case."

He noted their surprised reactions, but pressed on, "For the time being, I want you three to put aside my normal lectures of teamwork and camaraderie, and focus on yourselves for once. While you have multiple hurdles to overcome beforehand, it is entirely possible that you three could face each other in a three-way fight in the finals. You all already know so much about each other's abilities, that you will need this upcoming month to yourselves to prepare some new materials that the others won't be aware of."

The three of them were quiet as they shot each other glances. None of them seem too visibly appealed at the notion, but he could tell that underneath, each of them was excited by the prospect.

"So what's the plan sensei?" Naruto asked.

"Like I said, we are splitting you up. Each of you is going to work in private, with someone overseeing your training."

"Who gets to be with you sensei?" Hinata asked.

Kakashi internally sighed, preparing for the outburst he knew was coming, and said, "Sasuke."

He raised his hand as Naruto began to speak. "Let me finish. I know what you're going to say, but don't mistake this as a play of favoritism. I've made this decision because Sasuke is going to be facing the hardest line-up of the three of you."

"Shino won't be that hard for him," Naruto muttered.

"I wasn't referring to Shino. I believe you have already met Sasuke's other opponent, and have had some personal experience of how lethal he can be.

Naruto winced as the memories of his clones being ripped to shreds flashed in his mind. "Okay, that's fair," he muttered.

Kakashi gave him a nod, happy that he understood, before turning towards his student in question. "Not to try to scare you, Sasuke, but our training isn't just going to be about making you stronger, it's about making sure you can even survive your encounter with the Kazekage's son."

Sasuke was silent, but nodded, letting him know he understood the gravity of the situation.

"As for you two," Kakashi continued turning back towards the others, "both of your teachers approached me before I even had a chance to ask."

"Hinata. Your father requested to oversee your training personally. While I'm sure you know his teaching methods can be a bit strict, he is probably the best person to help refine your fighting style. Before you start worrying, we talked and he agreed with me that you shouldn't focus entirely on jyuuken. He and I spent some time together and discussed some elemental jutsu that we think will be useful for you. He also wanted me to mention that he plans to start working with you on your mother's jutsu."

Hinata gasped at that last part, and a smile crept up her face. She had spent years gazing over her mother's jutsu scroll, but had been limited by her chakra control and reserves to truly utilize them.

He actually thought she was ready!

"That's awesome, Hinata-chan! I bet it's going to be kick-ass! Ooh! Ooh! What about me, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked as he bobbed up and down.

"I believe you and your teacher have already spent ample time together. He still has to settle some things before he is ready, but told me that you should meet him at the bathhouses around noon tomorrow."

Naruto's grin doubled in size as he caught on. "ALL RIGHT! JIRAIYA-SENSEI IS BACK!"

Sasuke chuckled at his teammate's outburst, and turned his attention to Kakashi. "How soon do we begin?"

"Tomorrow," Kakashi replied, causing Naruto and Hinata to freeze, "We are going to be heading out of the village for the duration of our training, so I want you to spend the rest of the day getting any supplies you'll need for the trip. We'll meet at the village gate tomorrow morning around 8."

Kakashi turned back to Hinata and Naruto, who had begun furiously whispering to each other.

"Something you two want to share?" he asked as he crossed his arms.

"Nothing!" they cried out in unison.

Kakashi gazed down at them with his one, good eye, before shrugging his shoulders.

"Alright. Now, the finals will be held one month from today. Both the Hokage and myself expect nothing short of your maximum effort during this time and to see all three of you with that vest hanging on your shoulders once its over. We will meet back here, one day before the exam, to go over our strategies for our opponents and offer each other advice for anything we might have missed."

Kakashi began to stand up, and his students followed suit. He placed his hands on Hinata and Naruto's heads and ruffled their hair with a smile. "I expect to see some big results from you two. I wish you the best of luck."

With that, he made a hand sign, and disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

The three of them were silent as they digest everything they had been told. Their eyes each held the same steely determination, and they shared a smile.

Hinata was silent, enjoying the moment, before Naruto's eyes shot open. "Hinata-chan! We need to hurry!"

With that, he grabbed the girl's hand and raced off towards the village.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Sasuke called after them.

"Sorry, Sasuke-kun. Just don't leave tomorrow until we show up!" Hinata called over her shoulder, as she desperately tried to keep pace with the over energetic blonde.

Sasuke sighed before sticking his hands in his pockets, and slowly following in their footsteps.

He had some stops to make.

* * *

"Tai! I said drop it!" Ria called out before swooping up her little brother in her arms and snatching the green apple out of his hands.

"Please, can't you keep him in control?"

"I apologize, Madame Maria. I can't leave him at home this week. The landlord is renovating the building for the next few days."

"Just try to keep a better eye on him," the woman sighed as she made her way towards her office.

Ria offered the retreating woman a weak smile, and waited until she was sure she heard the door close, before glaring down at her brother.

"And just what do you have to say for yourself?"

"I was hungry."

She weakly sighed and hung her head. "Of course you are."

She lifted him up so he was more comfortable in her arms, and carried him over into the restaurant.

"Hanaya-san! Could you keep my brother occupied at the bar?"

"No problems. Just leave him on the stool. I'll keep an eye on him," the man laughed from behind the glass as he worked on a fresh batch of noodles.

"Thank you," she sighed as she gently sat the boy on the stool. She made sure he was looking her in the eyes before saying, "You stay right here. Understood?"

"But I'm bored," the boy whined as he lay his head on the bar. "How much longer do we have to stay here?"

"I told you before. I'll be done with work at 5, then we can go out for dinner."

"But I'm hungry nooow," he muttered as his stomach rumbled to accent his point.

"Tell you what. Your sister's lunch break is coming up soon. How about I whip you two up something special? In return, you have to be a good boy and let your sister work," Hanaya said he whipped his hands off with a rag.

"Promise?" the boy exclaimed as he perked up.

"Absolutely," Hanaya laughed as he stretched his hand over the glass and made a pinky-promise.

Ria mouthed 'thank you' to him as she headed back towards the grocery. She heard the bell ring, and turned to meet the new customer.

"Welcome to Madame Maria's Grocery and Deli. How may I help…" She paused as she recognized the latest patron. She placed a hand on her hip, and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Been a while, duck-butt. How have you been? Still dancing in the face of the devil?"

"You have no idea," Sasuke replied as he unconsciously rubbed his shoulder.

"I bet. So what can I do for the ever-so noble head of the Uchiha clan today?" she mockingly asked with a little curtsey.

"Just picking up some supplies. I'm going to be out of town for a while," he replied as he began browsing, "Where do you keep your shinobi rations?"

"Back right, next to the register. So what are you up to? Or is it one of those 'hafta kill me if I tell you situations?"

Sasuke snorted as he glanced over the ration packs. He picked up the mango and orange flavor, weighing his options. The things tasted like crap, but they held the essential nutrients shinobi needed for long term assignments. The flavoring was just an attempt to make it easier to swallow.

"Training," he replied after setting the orange pack back, and placing the other in his basket. "The chunin exams are coming up, and I'm going to be part of the finals."

"You mean that event where they make kids fight each other in that big arena?"

Sasuke flinched at the blunt description. "Well…yes."

"I really don't get you shinobi. Nooo, there can't be some practical test held by a panel. Let's let the kids fight it out to the death for everyone to see. Come one, come all. Watch shinobi hopeful A kick the crap out of shinobi B!" she called out with a theatrical twirl before heading towards the register.

"I take it you haven't gone to watch them yourself," Sasuke replied as headed over towards the refrigerated section.

"No interest," she said as she leaned against her elbow, "Besides, even if I wanted to, do you know how expensive those tickets are? It's ridiculous!"

"I don't doubt it."

Every year, multiple nobles and clans from throughout the Elemental Nations would venture to the current host nation to witness the spectacle of the exams. To the common folk, it had to be mind blowing. From walking up walls to breathing fire, the life of a shinobi could seem like it was straight out of fantasy. However, she did make a good point. In a way, he could agree that the whole event could be seen as morbid.

"It's more than for just us knocking each other around for their amusement, you know," Sasuke said as he inspected the basket of tomatoes.

"Oh, I bet its trudged down by some intricate political bullshit. Everything is," she replied, which earned a chuckle.

After several minutes, she finally got tired and spoke up. "Are you done looking over those tomatoes? They're all fresh. Just pick some already."

"I want them to be just right."

"They're just tomatoes," she mocked, imitating his inflection.

He shot her a glance. "I happen to really like tomatoes."

She couldn't help but chuckle at the seriousness of his tone, and eventually burst out laughing as he continued to glare.

"I'm sorry," she chuckled as she tried to regain her composure, "You should have seen your face."

"I'm sure it was amusing," he scoffed as he placed his basket on the counter.

As she reached for a plastic bag, he shook his hand. "It's alright. I have a different solution."

She was puzzled as he took out a tiny scroll and laid it across the counter-top. She curiously watched him as he began piling the food over a intricate design of kanji. She was about to speak up, when he raised his hand in front of his chest and made a hand sign.

"Seal."

She winced as the scroll flashed white. She blinked, trying to remove the spots from her eyes, and gasped as she looked down.

Sasuke chuckled as he watched her first interaction with storage seals.

"See this is what I mean by ninja-magic," she sighed as she glanced up at him.

"My teammate would heartily disagree. It's all science babble that I don't want to spend time thinking about. Trust me, he could go on for hours about this stuff."

"Whoooaaaaa!" a voice rang behind him.

He turned around to see a tiny, black haired boy staring up at them in awe.

"Are you really a shinobi, mister?" the boy asked with giant eyes.

Sasuke raised his eyebrow and nodded, which only seemed to entrance the boy even more.

"Tai. What did Hanaya say? You have to stay over in the deli if you want him to make you something special for lunch," Ria chided.

"How did you do that mister? Can I see?" the boy asked, ignoring his sister.

"Sure," Sasuke shrugged as he handed the boy the scroll, which was too big for his small hands.

The boy ran his hand over the marking across the paper, as if trying to reveal the hidden items stored inside.

"I take it this is your little brother that you've mentioned," Sasuke asked glancing back at Ria, who was coming around the counter.

"Yes it is. Tai. Do you want to introduce yourself?"

"Oh! Right," the young boy exclaimed before offering Sasuke a bow, "My name is Tai. Nice to meet you!"

Sasuke offered the boy a slight bow in return. "The pleasure is all mine, Tai-san."

"Are you really going to be in the chunin exams?"

"Yeah, I am. I'm leaving to train tomorrow."

"That is so COOL!" Tai exclaimed, jumping up and down, before turning to his sister. "Can we go watch your friend, nee-chan? Pleeeaaaase!"

Ria growled and shook her head. "We've gone over this before, Tai. Even if I wanted you to go, the tickets are too expensive. We couldn't afford seats."

Tai grew crestfallen and hung his head.

"You can take mine if you'd like."

Both heads shot towards him in a heartbeat. One in excitement and one in irritation.

Sasuke shrugged. "They give the participants tickets for their family members, and since I'm in a clan, the seats would be in the VIP section reserved for clan heads."

Tai's eyes were as wide as saucers and Sasuke was getting worried about how long the boy had been inhaling.

The boy slowly turned towards his sister with a huge smile on his face.

"No… I said no…" she tried to argue, as she avoided his ecstatic gaze.

"Don't you ask it," she grumbled as he tiptoed up and hugged her legs.

" _Can we go?"_ he whispered gleefully.

"Ughhh," she sighed and shot Sasuke the stink eye, to which he simply smirked at.

"… fine," she muttered.

"YEEAAAAAHHHHH!" Tai cried out and began running circles around the shop.

Ria groaned and laid her head in her arms on the counter.

"I hate you," she mumbled.

"I'll run by the tickets the day before the finals," he replied before having the wind knocked out of him by a small, human-shaped projectile.

"THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!" the boy shouted into his stomach, tightening his grip around the boy's back.

"Uh… you're welcome," Sasuke replied. He looked to Ria, who was chuckling at his obvious discomfort and made no move to help remove the younger boy.

"Um, alright. Well, I have other errands I have to run," he said as he tried to pry the boy from his legs.

"Alright, Tai. That's enough. Uchiha- _sama_ has places to be."

After two more minutes, they were finally able to convince Tai to let go of the boy. Sasuke pocketed his storage scroll and made his way towards the door.

"Thank you Uchiha-san! Good look with your training!" Tai called out as he waved him goodbye.

Sasuke smirked and gave the boy a nod, before heading out the door.

* * *

( _The next morning)_

Kakashi cracked his eye open as he finally noticed Sasuke approaching the gate.

"All set?"

Sasuke's nod was all he needed in response.

"Good. Then let's get going," Kakashi said as he turned to leave.

"Wait a minute sensei," Sasuke called out.

Kakashi sent him a curious look, as Sasuke gazed out at the crowds walking near the gate.

"Waiting for someone?"

"They asked me to wait for them to get here before we leave," Sasuke replied quietly.

Kakashi was silent before leaning back against the wall. "Alright. It's your time after all. If you think it's important enough to wait for them, then we'll do it, but if they aren't here after 20 minutes, I think we should head out."

"15 minutes… and then we'll go," Sasuke replied as he settled into the shade next to his sensei.

They ended up waiting for 17 minutes, but as Sasuke was getting ready to just go, they finally caught sight of their targets. It was hard to tell at first, but there was no mistaking that blonde hair anywhere.

They gazed down the road as Hinata and Naruto raced sideways along the walls of the storefronts.

"Sorry we're late. Hinata wanted to make sure it was wrapped," Naruto panted as the pair came to a halt in front of them.

"We… had been planning this… for a while now," Hinata panted, trying to catch her breath, "and since you're going to be gone all month… we thought… we'd get it to you now."

Naruto stepped forward and held out the box. "Here."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, but took the box anyway. He carefully undid the lavender bow and purple wrapping paper, before finally taking the lid off the box. His voice caught in his throat as he stared down at the black and grey casing.

"You're going to be gone during the special day, but we wanted to do something special," Hinata said with a smile.

"Happy birthday, teme."

Sasuke was silent as he reached into the box and pulled out the thin, black scabbard. His hands were lightly shaking as he gripped the handle and unsheathed the blade. He weighed the chokuto in his hand, and smiled as he gave it a few practice swings. Finally, after so many blades that Kakashi had made him try in the past, this one just felt… right.

"I… I don't know what to say," he muttered as he cradled the blade in his hands.

"Typically what you'd say is thank you, " Naruto snorted with a smirk.

Sasuke closed his eyes and chuckled, before the sheathing the blade and placing the scabbard over his shoulder.

"Thank you both. It means a lot."

Hinata blushed and gave him a bright smile, which was mirrored by Naruto.

"Now, get out of here and practice with that thing. I expect to see both of you in the final match," Naruto smiled as he pumped out his fist.

Quick as lightening, Sasuke unsheathed the blade and held it up to Naruto's throat.

"You may come to regret that dobe, but the sentiment is shared," Sasuke smirked before turning to Hinata, "that goes for you too. It was about time we settled which is the better dojutsu clan within Konoha."

"Agreed, and may the best woman win," she giggled as she pumped out her fist and joined it with Naruto's.

Sasuke bumped fists with his teammates and turned to Kakashi. He nodded and gave the other two an eye-smile and a wave, before they turned and made their way out of the village.

* * *

( _A few hours later)_

"I can't believe you."

"I don't have to explain anything to you."

"I… I just don't get it," Naruto muttered as he held his head in his hands.

"Why…WHY DO ALL OF MY SENSEI'S HAVE TO BE PERVERTS?" he cried as he curled up in a ball and fake tears streamed down his face.

"Give it a rest already. _Noisy brat…"_

"SHUT UP, ERO-SENNIN!"

"What did I tell you about calling me that?"

"I will call you what I want to call you, you filthy old man! You should be ashamed of yourself."

"Whatever," Jiraiya sighed as they made their way towards the center of the field. "Now, unless you want to keep complaining, I believe we have work to do."

Naruto sobered up instantly, and jogged after the man.

"Did you have any luck working on the masks?" Naruto asked as he caught up.

"Hmm? No, not really. I haven't had the time. I've been busy with a project the Intelligence division wanted me to look into. I should be done with it in the next day or two, and I apologize. I might have to duck out for one day to oversee its results. Anyways, from what I've heard, you've made a bit more development on the mask subject than I did."

"What?" Naruto asked as he titled his head to the side.

"Remember that missing-nin I mentioned. The one responsible for 17,000 deaths?"

"Mhm."

"Well, congratulations. You managed to piss him off after preventing him from giving your pale friend the same mark he gave the Uchiha."

Naruto stopped in his tracks as a cold feeling washed over him. "… what?"

"Did sensei not mention that? Well, consider yourself lucky from walking away unscathed from a meeting with Orochimaru."

Naruto was dead silent and stood rooted in place.

"…oh."

Jiraiya chuckled. It was rare to see the kid grow so quiet.

"And… I punched him… in the face…"

Jiraiya burst out laughing and slapped the boy on the back. Oh, that was priceless. He'd have to use that in one of his future books.

"You shouldn't be concerned kid. Hopefully, by the next time you cross paths with him, you'll be able to Hiraishin yourself out of whatever mess you will have gotten yourself into."

"…sure."

Jiraiya let out one more chuckle before coming to a stop. He turned to face the boy and folded his arms, his face finally growing more serious.

"Alright, let's get down to business. I've got you for the next month, and we are going to make the most of it. When I'm done with you, that Uchiha teammate of yours is going to look like a civilian in comparison. Sound good to you?"

Naruto blinked out of his shocked daze and flashed him a smile.

"Good. Now, the first thing on our list is something very important to me and to the history of our village. This is a tradition passed along by my sensei to me, to the Fourth, to a slight degree to Kakashi, and now to you."

Naruto watched curiously as the old man unhooked the massive scroll from his back and set it next to him on the ground.

"Kid, I'm going to teach you how to summon."

Naruto simply stared at him for a moment, before sighing and biting at his thumb.

"What are you- WAIT STOP!" Jiraiya called out as he watched Naruto go through the five hand signs and slam his hand towards the ground.

' _Without a contract seal, there's no telling…where…he'll…show…up...'_

Jiraiya was cut mid-thought as the smoke cleared and he stared down at a tiny, furry creature that had appeared before him. Its body was mostly yellow with purple markings along the top of its head, ears, and two tails that swayed behind its back.

The tiny fox shook out its body and let out an excited bark at him, before racing around his legs several times and jumping up into Naruto's arms.

Naruto nervously laughed as he scratched Kimi behind the ears, and tried his best ignore Jiraiya's dumbstruck expression.

"Hehe, sorry Jiraiya-sensei, but I, ugh, kinda…sorta…already know how to summon."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 *****New chapter will come out tomorrow (...probably). Stay tuned to learn how Naruto gained the Fox contract, and prepare to meet the prestigious Fox boss summon, Lady Xi.**

 **Yes, the summons is foxes. Something that has become a cliché in fanfics, but really, what other summons suit him better? However, I have yet to see someone do foxes well. They always throw in so many new characters and try to tie their lore to the Kyuubi. Not in this story.**

 **Sorry for the delay. I don't really have a new schedule set in place yet due to the new semester, but new chapters will keep on coming. I'm going to be so relieved when we are finally done with the chunin exams. They're always fun and can be the staple for some fanfics, but they just tend to** ** _drag on and on_** **. After the invasion is over, we can finally make more progress in the main story. While Naruto and Jiraiya are off to retrieve Tsunade, Hinata will have some investigative work to do.**

 **Here's a weird thought, you guys: we're only halfway through Part 1… (bangs head against wall). JK, I feel like things are going to go much faster after they are over because 1) we are not going to linger on every fight against the Sound Four and 2) we don't have to go through every flashback of Sasuke and Itachi's back-story (which took up like 4-5 chapters in canon).**

 *****By the way, after some thought, I have gone back and altered the details regarding the density seal first mentioned in chapter 20. I hope this explanation sits a little better with you guys than what I previously had.**

 **If you were curious, Sasuke's sword is the model he had in Shippuden. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.**

 **(Also, there is no given last name for the Sand Siblings so I just went with the title given to Gaara.)**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To LadyLucyoftheCursedDark)**

 **Glad you're enjoying it. Regarding your first question, this story is planned to go to the end of Shippuden. The Fourth Ninja war will be covered, but it is not going to be the final climax. Things are going to start picking up once the time skip starts because I can finally deviate from the limitations of Part One. As you saw, Ria came back this chapter and will be present once things start to kick off in the finals. The story of Ria and her brothers won't be concluded until mid-shippuden, so she'll be around for a while. As for Gaara… well, he was never a big player in my original draft. I like Gaara a lot, but there hasn't been a good place to really squeeze him in yet. He obviously has his fight during the invasion, but don't fret, he'll be in another fight during the Fourth War, which is going to be fun (not Madara).**

 **(To the Benevolent Scriber)**

 **Because I typically keep a consistent release schedule and like to keep my readers aware if there is a problem. I have only released an update chapter such as this twice (including this one).**

 **(To MEL)**

 **Just saying there is a problem doesn't exactly help me fix it. If there are certain parts you could point out, that would be a big help in solving an issue.**

 **(To the Guest Reviewer regarding the Toad Oil Bullet)**

 **Kakashi had been training with Minato for years, even before they formed Team 7. It has been shown in canon that Minato underwent training from the toads and even learned Sage mode. It's not too much of a stretch to believe he passed along a jutsu to his student.**

 **(To TimeShifter)**

 **I just wanted to make something clear, Kitsune isn't necessarily seeing the past with his jutsu. He's watching Ria's memories being projected in the locations that they were formed. He can only see what she saw. The limit of the jutsu is the original person's line of sight.**


	40. Chapter 40 - Trial of the Empress

Chapter 40: Trial of the Empress

 _4 Years Earlier_

" _Kitsuuune_! How much longer do I have to wear this thing? It itches."

"I highly doubt that, and a couple more hours I'm afraid. Be a trooper and push through it. We're almost there."

Naruto hmphed and tugged at the hem of his new, black kimono that Kitsune had graciously purchased for him that morning. He never liked getting dressed up. On the rare occasions that jiji brought him to some special function or dinner, he would be forced to wear some hand-me-down from jiji's son. Kimonos always made him feel vulnerable. They were just too light, and he detested the drafty feeling down below.

"Fine. Where are we heading anyway?" he asked as he gave up fiddling with hem.

"My place."

The eight-year-old boy waited for him to elaborate, but quietly fell in step beside him when he realized he wasn't going to get any more information.

While they made their way through the village, Naruto tended to linger closer to Kitsune's side than he usually would. As with every year, the angry stares and whispers seemed to be more frequent and hostile on this day in particular.

While no one shouted anything towards the duo as they passed by, there was a clear edge of hostility in the air. As they passed a bar, one tipsy man, who had decided to start celebrating earlier, rose up to throw out a comment, but was quickly silenced once he realized, who the ANBU along side the boy was.

After fifteen minutes of walking, they finally arrived at a small cluster of buildings near the Hokage Residence that typically housed off-duty ANBU. While most agents slept in the ANBU barracks during their rotations, even the ANBU needed a place to retreat to after the stress their line of work tended to create.

With a swipe of blood on the door handle, Kitsune creaked open the wooden frame and motioned Naruto to follow him inside.

Naruto took one step inside and sneezed from the dust kicked up in the air from their arrival. As he looked around, even he could tell that Kitsune never really spent much time here. The dressers were covered in dust, and there was even a cobweb in one of the windows.

"Jeez, Kitsune. You really need to clean up this place."

"That's rich coming from you. What state would we find your room in if we went there right now?"

"…fine," Naruto mumbled as he tried to find a place to sit that wouldn't coat his new clothes in dust.

"Besides, there's no point. I'm never really here that often anyway," Kitsune replied as locked the door behind him.

It was true. Whenever he was forced to take breaks by the Hokage, he would simply spend his time resting in the ANBU barracks. If he ever had any free time, it was spent doing three things: eating, sleeping, and training. His coworkers may have found it dreadfully dull, but it mattered little to him. He had a job to do, and he would spend every waking moment he had to ensure he could accomplish it.

Speaking of which, he turned and faced the young boy, who had finally taken a seat after wiping off a stool at the counter and was staring back at him expectedly.

"So, ugh… what are we doing here?" the boy asked as he swung his legs and glanced around the room.

"You're receiving your birthday present. Wait here," Kitsune replied as he made his way towards his bedroom. After making sure the door was shut tight, he placed his hand on the wall behind the door, illuminating a storage seal.

As he reopened the door, Naruto was surprised to see he wasn't holding a present. Instead, Kitsune held a long, thin scroll. Its parchment was withered and faded, and there were some obvious tears along the edges. The blonde noted the obvious dirt stains, and felt a little disheartened by the sight. What was so important about a crummy, old scroll?

"What is it?"

"Something very special. This…is the only link I still have to my family. Technically, it was something passed down to me, and now, I'm willing to share it with you."

Kitsune was silent as he let his statement sink in.

"If you are granted permission, I would like to allow you to sign this summoning contract."

Naruto watched with wide eyes as the boy flashed through five hand signs and slammed his hand on the ground.

The boy yelped as the smoke dissipated, revealing a massive red and gold fox that was roughly the size of Kitsune. The fox fixed its gaze on him and began sniffing the air as it approached him.

Naruto tried to back away, but ended up leaning too far back, causing him and the stool to come crashing down. He groaned as he rubbed his back, and squeaked when he realized the massive fox was right in his face.

The boy trembled but remained perfectly silent as the fox sniffed at him. It prodded him with its snout, before it started licking him all over his face.

Naruto giggled and reached out to pet the massive animal that was assaulting him with affection.

Kitsune felt his lip curl up as he watched the two interact. After a minute of coddling the boy, the massive fox turned around to face him, and said, "Huli is ready for you. He'll be calling us shortly."

"Thanks Ryoma."

Naruto's eyes were the size of saucers as he stared up at the fox above him.

"Did that fox just-" he started to say before all three went up in a puff of smoke.

"-talk?"

Naruto stopped midsentence as he realized he was no longer in Kitsune's apartment. Ryoma happily moved out of his way, as Naruto pushed himself onto his feet.

His eyes tried to adjust to the sudden change in light. The light from the fireplace dimly illuminated the room, but it was very hard form him to full orient himself.

He gazed around the tiny room with wooden walls and flooring, and was surprised by the root that jutted through the ceiling into the floor. He noted the table sitting in the corner of the room and was confused by the tiny chairs and table height.

"What…what just happened?"

"Ah, the guest of the hour has arrived," a voice called out behind him.

He turned around and was shocked to see another fox smiling up at him. This one had grey fur and four tails swirling behind its back, and instead of walking on all fours, it strolled forward its hind legs with a walking stick in hand.

"That… that one can talk too!" Naruto cried out as he squatted down to the elder's level.

"… that is SO COOL!"

Huli chuckled before waving off Kitsune, who had started to bow.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you Naruto-kun. _Kitsune_ here has told me quite a lot about you. My name is Huli," the old fox chirped as he reached out his paw.

"Nice to meet you Huli-jiji," Naruto replied with a smile as he shook the tiny fox's paw.

"So they assigned us our time?" Kitsune asked over his shoulder.

"Indeed. The council is going to busy with a certain case for the next hour, but we are expected to show up around 2:00. That should give you plenty of time to finish your business," Huli replied.

"What business?" Naruto asked turning towards the older boy.

"Sorry, but Ryoma and I have some errands we need to run before the ceremony. It's just some paper work we have to drop off before we can actually present you to Lady Xi. Do you have it ready, Huli-sama?"

"Yes, yes. One second, it's down in my study. Let me go and fetch it," the old fox said with a wave of his hand as he headed off deeper into the burrow.

"What am I supposed to do for two hours?" Naruto whined after Huli disappeared.

"Don't worry. Huli-sama will keep you company. He'll probably give you a tour of the city in the meantime," Kitsune responded, getting down on one knee, "Now you behave for him. He was very generous to help us here. Do you understand?"

"Fine," Naruto huffed, before Kitsune ruffled his hair.

"Now, why don't you go play with Ryoma, while we wait?"

"Sur-" Naruto started before the giant fox scooped him up and flipped him on its back. Naruto giggled as the large fox spun around the living room, trying its best not to knock anything over.

"Here it is," Huli called out as he entered the room, handing Kitsune a wrapped parcel, "That should suffice. I'm sure she'll be please with my selection."

Kitsune nodded and stared at the duo playing in the foyer. Naruto giggled as Ryoma bounced back and forth across the floor.

"What do you think of our odds?" Kitsune asked quietly.

"Honestly? I believe Lady Xi will find him acceptable. Around 70% in our favor if you really wanted to put a number to it, but…"

"But?"

"Well… it also depends on how she may react if she notices his _tenant_."

"What then?"

"Then I'd say 50/50."

"What!" he angrily whispered.

"Don't worry," the old fox chuckled as he waved him off, "I've set some wheels in motion that should tip the scales in our favor. Just trust this old fox. Now you wanted me to hold onto something?"

Kitsune nodded. After making sure Naruto was fully distracted with Ryoma, he handed the short fox the disheveled scroll.

"Lady Xi won't tolerate this arrangement anymore, especially if she approves him, so I need you to look after it."

"Consider it done. I know how precious it is for you. I'll take good care of it," he replied before collapsing the tiny scroll into a tiny black mark atop his cane.

Kitsune was silent, but finally nodded and whistled for Ryoma. The fox immediately sprung up and shot over to his side.

"Naruto! We're leaving."

Naruto jogged over, trying to wipe away the slobber from his face.

"Alright, let's get going. Allow me to present to you the Forest of Eternal Fall," Huli smiled as he pushed open the round door to his den.

Naruto blinked at the sudden rush of light, but after his eyes adjusted, he felt his breath hitch in his chest.

It was stunning.

The trees were simply massive. The width of each one was about the size of a city block. The ground and trees were littered in red and orange leaves, making the tree trunks pop out. In fact, as he gazed around, all he could see was orange, orange, and more orange. The vibrant leaves shrouded the woods and stretched as far as the eye could see. He craned his neck looking up as he tried to see the top.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Huli asked as he stood next to the boy.

"Yeah…"

Naruto stood in stunned silence for over a minute as he took in the sight.

"C'mon. It's about a five-minute walk to town," Huli said as he took his place at the head of the group.

As they hiked away from Huli's burrow, a tiny head popped up from behind the roots of the tree. It's head cocked to the side and its tail began to wag as it caught sight of the small, blonde boy smiling up at the trees. It quietly crawled out from the shade, and darted from tree to tree, tailing the group as they went on their way.

* * *

"Wow!"

It was astonishing to say the least. Ryoma had not truly prepared him for how big some of these foxes were. While the majority was the normal size he was used to, some even dwarfed Ryoma by ten feet.

His gaze lingered on a particular red and blue one, but he quickly glanced away after it noticed him and started to bare its teeth.

To be honest, he wasn't exactly receiving the most open welcome. From the moment he had set foot in the settlement, every fox he had passed seem to be on high alert due to his presence. Now he was used to dirty looks. He got them every day back home, but this felt different. In the village, he could tell that they always blamed him for something, but these looks seemed to be directed at something else.

"They're not angry at you," Huli spoke up, as if reading his thoughts.

"Could have fooled me," the boy muttered as every head seemed to follow his trail.

"Well, they're not exactly mad _at_ you. They're just cautious. The fox clan doesn't exactly have the greatest track record with humans."

"What do you mean?"

Huli chuckled. "Well, as you may know, humans looove to hunt, and when you have a fur coat as lustrous as ours, it tends to draw negative attention."

Huli gazed up at him. "For two hundred years, mankind hunted down the foxes in droves, to the point where we simply couldn't stay in our normal homes. An alliance was built and we were forced to leave our old forests behind and retreat here, where we have been hidden ever since."

"When was that?" Naruto asked.

"Oh, about 11,000 years ago, give or take."

"Things certainly must have changed since then!"

"From time to time. About every 200 years, the idea to expand is thrown around, but it's always dismissed. Better to remain here hidden among the other summons where it's safe. Just too much lingering resentment among the elders."

Huli then snorted and glanced up at him. "Plus the humans aren't exactly helping their case. From your folklore portraying us tricksters, to more recent events such as the Kyuubi attack, foxes aren't exactly held in a positive light with your people."

Huli was silent, before following up, "And before you ask, no, there isn't really a connection between us and the Kyuubi."

"None?"

"None. Well, he may have been molded after us, but that's a different story."

Naruto raised his eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Another time perhaps. It's a long story, and I'm sure you would be bored by the details of an old sage. Oops. Hold up," Kitsune cut off, stopping Naruto with his cane.

Naruto was about to ask why when he suddenly felt the ground shake beneath his feet. He glanced to his right and fell backwards in shock at the sight of the creature roaming towards him.

As its shadow fell across his face, Naruto's mouth fell open as the colossal fox made its way between the trees. The thing made Ryoma look like an ant. It was huge!

"Wh-what? H-How… How is it so large?" Naruto stuttered as he watched the beast walk away.

"Not every species of fox is the same, my boy. It all depends on what clan you come from, which genetics you inherit and whatnot. Those larger varieties tend to hail from the more battle oriented families. As you can see, they tend to grow quite large."

"You don't say," the eight year old whispered in wonder.

Huli poked him in the stomach and lightly bopped his nose with his cane.

"Close your mouth or a bug will fly right in. Now, let's be on our way."

As Naruto followed behind the humming, old fox. He began to notice something strange. While most of the foxes were fixing their glares at him, he noticed he was not the only one receiving negative attention.

"Umm… Huli-jiji?"

"Mhm?"

"Why are the foxes glaring at you? Is it because you're with me?"

Huli simply glanced at the surrounding crowd and shrugged it off.

"Well, that may be part of the reason, but that's not entirely why."

He chuckled as he glanced up at the boy who had caught up alongside him.

"Let's just say, I may not be the most popular figure in the village."

"But I thought you were one of the elders?"

"Oh I am, and it drives the council mad every day," he chuckled. "While they respect my experience without a doubt, that doesn't mean they have to like me. They tend to see me as too soft for their liking."

"Too soft?"

"Let's say that I'm one of the more…diplomatic of the group. Since we have spent so much time by ourselves, the council isn't very trusting of the world outside of the forest, even of other summoning clans."

"What other clans are there?" Naruto asked excitedly, "Who's closest?"

"Oh, not many live near us besides two. There's a mountain to the West of here, whose caverns are home to a certain clan. To the East are the pigeons, although, if they had any brains, they would have moved years ago after finding out we were next door."

Right as he said that, Naruto's stomach began to grumble, causing Huli to chuckle.

"I see your stomach is sharing in my sentiment. Well, we have some time. Why don't we stop for lunch?"

"Ooo! Ooo! Can we get ramen?" Naruto asked with stars in his eyes.

"Sorry, my boy, but I'm afraid we don't have that here."

"…I want to go home now."

"Oh, come one now. I know a place around the corner that will be fine. We may not have ramen, but I believe we'll have something else that should satisfy you. Have you ever tried pheasant?"

* * *

"By the way Huli-jiji…why can't…I just… sign the scroll now?" Naruto asked between mouthfuls.

Huli bopped him on the head with his cane and waited for him to swallow before replying.

"It isn't quite that simply. You see, all potential summoners must first be approved by the reigning head of the clan, or boss summon, if you will. For the foxes, the decision falls to the reigning emperor or empress."

"Really? What are they like?" Naruto asked before taking another bite.

Huli was silent as he twiddled with his silverware.

"Lady Xi can be very… well, she's not the most welcoming individual. She can be quite stern, and it's very hard to sway her from her decisions. Not to say that she can't be fair, but she tends to only listen to those who have truly gained her respect."

"How old is she?" Naruto asked, before Huli smacked his hand with his cane, causing him to yelp in pain.

"Never ask about a woman's age, Naruto-boy. It's considered rude. Anyways, to answer your question, she'll be turning 453 next spring. You're going to love the event. It's spectacular to witness."

Naruto spit out his food and whipped around. "453! That's insane!"

"You think that's old? She's actually considered quite young for her breed. She's about maybe a third of the way through her expected reign."

"What about you?" Naruto asked.

"Me? Oh, for my kin, I'm getting up there. Around 824, give or take. Now, stop gawking. Your food is getting cold."

The blonde was silent as he began pushing around the food on his plate. After a pause he turned and asked, "Huli-jiji. When did Kitsune get to sign the contract?"

Huli stopped mid-drink and sat his cup back down.

"Young, very young. Even younger than you are now. Lady Xi made a special exception for him due to… peculiar circumstances."

Huli was quiet, waiting to judge his reaction, but was surprised when the boy started giggling.

A devious grin split apart his face as he turned to him and asked, "So Kitsune was the last person to sign before me, right?"

Huli raised his eyebrow and nodded.

' _I got you, Kitsune-baka! I'll finally get to see your name!'_ he internally giggled as he rocked on his stool.

Huli smiled and took one last sip before setting down his tip.

"Come along, Naruto. We have places to be. Our appointment is in about 30 minutes."

With that, the pair thanked the chef and made their way out of the restaurant. As they walked out of the base of the tree, a tiny pair of yellow eyes peeked around the corner. After waiting several seconds, the dark shadow darted out from the behind the trunk and weaved its way through the traffic after them.

Huli made a slight glance behind him, and caught sight of the tiny shape as it slid behind the door of a market, leaving a swirl of orange leaves in its wake.

The tip of his lips curled up ever so slightly as he resumed their march towards the largest tree at the center of town.

* * *

As they drew closer and closer, Naruto could not help but be amazed by the towering stone doors that lay upon underneath the roots of the massive tree. As they reached the edge of the hole, he groaned as he glanced down at the ridiculous amounts of stairs that lead down the lantern lit stairway.

"Oh don't be such a baby. It's only 55,000 steps. I've outlived you ten times, my boy, and you don't see me complaining. Let's go."

As they made their way down the burrow, Naruto could not help but be amazed at the impressive structure work that went into the building this place. The roof stretched far above him, and without the aide of the lanterns lit along the walls, he wouldn't have been able to make out the sealing.

Finally, they made their way down to the bottom of the tunnel, and Naruto was even more shocked to find a marble floor waiting for them.

"Take a right. We should be meeting Kitsune outside of the council's chamber."

After five minute of walking, Naruto turned the corner to see Kitsune leaning against the stone columns in front of a large, bronze door.

"Right on time," he said as he caught sight of them, "The council just finished their debate, and they're ready to start whenever we are."

"Good. Then let's get on with it," Huli chirpily replied as he made his way towards the double doors.

"Wait, hold on a second. What exactly am I supposed to-"

"Quite standing around. Let's get this show on the road," the old fox called out as he pushed open the door.

Kitsune sighed and just pushed Naruto along, despite his protests, into the room.

After all that he had seen today, the council was by far the most underwhelming.

Around the semicircular table were foxes of varying sizes, but the largest was no bigger than Naruto. Most were the same size as Huli.

"New case. 2:06 P.M. The council shall now address the case for a new applicant to make his mark on the Contract of Foxes," the small turquoise fox in the center of the ring called out.

"Lady Xi wished for me to inform you that your offering was received and deemed fit."

"Offering?" Naruto whispered.

"Just a tradition. It's considered impolite to request a meeting with the empress without presenting a gift," Huli whispered back, "I gave her a certain history book I've been holding in my library. She's been after it for years. I thought it may shine a positive light on our case."

"Ehem. Despite previous debate, our current summoner has decided to execute his right as the current head summoner to propose a new applicant. The nominator is present today. Do you have your supporting council or elder sponsor?"

"Right here," Huli happily replied and tapped his cane against the floor.

The council seemed to shoot him a short glare, before turning their attention to Naruto, who tried to stand as straight as possible.

"Are both the nominator and sponsor aware of the risks of the proposal?"

"We are," they replied in unison, causing Naruto to glance between them.

"Is the applicant prepared to accept any consequences should he be deemed unworthy?" the fox asked as it peered over its desk.

"Ugh…" was all he could reply as he glanced up at Kitsune. The boy remained quiet, but offered him an encouraging nod.

"Sure. I guess so."

The fox let out a hmph and stamped the piece of paper in front of him.

"Due to the rights granted to the head summoner, we the council, will allow your nomination to enter the presence of Lady Xi. You may enter the throne room and begin your trial."

"Thank you, honorable council," Kitsune replied with a bow, before prodding Naruto to follow him back out.

* * *

As they made their way back down the corridor, Naruto was starting to get nervous. What did they mean about consequences?

"Um, Huli-jiji?"

"Yes?"

"What exactly am I about to be doing?"

"You are about to be in the presence of Lady Xi, and she is going judge you to see if you are worthy of signing the scroll."

"How exactly is she going to do that?"

"She is going to look into your very soul. She'll see every memory and decision you've ever made, and then measure your will and determination. Don't worry. While status is important, she does not really care about where one comes from. Anyone can build up to success with enough hard work. You should have nothing to worry about."

"And if she decides that I'm not the right fit? What then?" he asked hesitatingly.

"Don't let that bother you. You'd be too dead to worry about it."

Naruto felt his blood turn ice cold, and was about to turn around and bolt. Before he could, he realized they had arrived. The guards on both sides reached out and opened the white stone, pressing Kitsune, Huli, and himself into the throne room.

It was a massive marble room, whose ceiling stretched even further than he could see. Past the red carpet the lead up the middle of the room was a giant, silk futon flanked by stone pillars with flames erupting from the top. Behind the seat were two thick, purple curtains that stretched across the entire room.

As they reached the center of the room, Huli and Kitsune bowed down to their knees. After a few seconds, Kitsune reached up and forced Naruto's head down.

The chamber was silent. The only sound being the echoes of their steps into the room. Finally, a smooth, feminine voice rang throughout the hall.

" ** _Applicant. Please step forward."_**

Naruto took a deep breath, but stood up and walked about ten feet away from the others.

He stood perfectly still as he waited for this Lady Xi to appear. As he glanced at the silk curtains, he could have sworn he caught a glimpse of white flash in the darkness. He gulped as a massive white tail, tipped with purple fur swayed out from the curtains, before the massive form finally revealed itself.

Naruto couldn't help but stare. The sight was as awe inspiring as it was terrifying. The massive fox from the village had nothing on her. She stood nearly triple its height, and five times as long. He froze as he felt her massive purple eyes lock onto him.

Slowly, she prowled her way across the throne room, obviously in no rush. The closer he got, the more and more tempted he was to simply bolt. As much as his instincts were telling him to run, he bit his lip and shook his head.

He was not going to run. Kitsune thought he was ready for this, and he was going to prove him right.

Finally the snow-white fox stood within an inch of his face. Its massive eyes bore down on him with such intensity that he couldn't move even if he wanted to.

A fire seemed to appear in her eyes and suddenly he felt his vision dim.

* * *

Lady Xi was silent as the boy's memories played through her mind. All of the tragedy. All of the loneliness. All bundled up into ten seconds. She was honestly impressed. That amount of torment would break most men, but here this child persevered and still stood with his head up.

Although, she could tell that he still clung to some of his darker feelings deep within, the boy certainly had a will of fire.

He would be just fine.

As she began to retreat from his mind, she paused. Her eyes narrowed and she began to sniff him.

' _Shit!'_ Kitsune internally cursed as he noticed her shift in demeanor. This was not going to be good. He slowly began reaching for his katana, but felt Huli's hand clasp his wrist.

" _Let things play out,"_ he whispered

' ** _This chakra…,_** ' she mused as she delved back deeper and deeper into his mind. She drove deeper into his psyche, until finally, her eyes shot open as another face with slanted eyes grinned back at her within the darkness.

 _'_ _ **YOU!'**_

Naruto yelped as Lady Xi reared back and growled at him. He fell back on his butt and tried to scoot away as the massive creature let out a roar, baring teeth the size of 10 men.

He lay frozen as the massive beast opened its mouth and purple flames began to glow in its throat.

"UHHHHHHHHH!" Naruto whimpered as he tried to crawl back.

"Shit!" Kitsune cursed as he prepared to move, but Huli would not lighten his grip.

Lady Xi roared and reared back her neck, fire erupting from the sides of her mouth.

A small pair of yellow eyes burrowed in the shadows of the throne room, and the small figure burst out from its hiding place.

As Lady Xi brought down her head, the tiny shadow darted in front of Naruto and growled at her.

Naruto winced as he awaited his fiery demise, but was surprised when it never came. He slowly lifted one eye and was shocked to see a tiny yellow and purple fox standing between him and the towering behemoth.

Their eyes were locked in a nonverbal argument, but neither seemed willing to back down. Naruto couldn't help but noticed the purple markings along the small fox matching those on the empress.

After another few seconds of silence, Lady Xi's glare returned and she reared back again. The tiny fox seemed just as surprised as Naruto was. It started to tremble, but held its ground even Lady Xi brought her head back down.

Without a second thought, Naruto jumped forward and clasped the tiny creature in his arms. He turned his back to the empress, and tried his best to shield the tiny fox with his body.

He felt the flames tickle the back of his kimono, but was surprised, when they stopped yet again.

 _"_ _ **Intriguing…"**_ the feminine voice echoed throughout the room.

Naruto glanced over his shoulder as the massive fox stepped away from him. The fox seemed to study him as she glanced between him and the tiny yellow ball of fur in his arms.

 ** _"…Fine. I shall allow you to pass, for now. But know this Naruto Uzumaki_** ," she growled as she leaned down in his face, " ** _If any ill shall fall upon her, let this day be a constant reminder of what shall happen."_**

She then shifted her glared onto the fox. " ** _And we will be talking later._** "

With that, she turned around and made her way towards the massive futon at the end of the room.

"Well, I'd say that worked out better than expected," Huli chuckled as he walked up to the pair.

"What… what just happened?" Naruto gulped, his eyes never leaving the form of Lady Xi as she eased into her bed.

"You passed my boy! Weren't you listening? Though I'm sure you have little Kimi here to thank for that."

For the first time, Naruto finally had a chance to really look down at the small creature he was holding. The tiny yellow fox with purple ears seemed ecstatic as her tails wagged behind her.

"YAY! I have a new summoner!" she cheered as she rubbed against his neck and climbed her way around his shoulders.

"Ugh…okay," Naruto weakly chuckled as she rubbed her face against his cheek.

Kitsune let out the sigh he had been holding and finally made his way over to the trio.

"Let's get this over with so we can head home. I think we've had enough stress for one day," he muttered as he made his way toward Lady Xi.

He bowed before her throne, before slightly lifting his mask to bite his thumb. After five hand signs, he slammed his hand into the ground, revealing the sealing contract. After receiving a nod from her, he made his way back up the corridor and stopped in front of Naruto.

"So, ugh, what do I have to do?"

"You need to sign it in your own blood," Kitsune replied as he rolled out the paper.

"Gross," Naruto flinched, but bit his finger like Kitsune did and waited as Kitsune pass the paper in front of him.

Excitement finally rooted away the fear as he realized his big moment over his shepherd was at hand.

He giggled and glanced down to the bottom of the list, but froze as his eyes locked with the final name, which simply read: KITSUNE.

"Oh come on!" he cried out as he glared at the boy in question.

"What?"

"That's not a signature and you know it. That's horsecrap!"

"It's what I go by, and that is good enough for the seals."

"Hmph. Party pooper," Naruto murmured before bending over and scribbling his name as legibly as he could on the paper. He leaned back and titled his head as he noticed something.

"Hey, wasn't this thing more dirty earlier?"

"That was a personal copy. This one is for the official declarations," Kitsune dryly replied as he rolled up the scroll. As he tucked it across his back, he offered one last bow to Lady Xi.

"Thank you for your kindness, Lady Xi. I promise he won't disappoint you."

" ** _See to it that he does not. And you_** ," she said as she turned her glare on Naruto, causing him to freeze up, " ** _Know this. I shall be watching you very carefully. Are we clear?"_**

"C-Crystal!" he cried out, bobbing his head furiously.

She then turned her glare back at the fox around his neck. " ** _I expect you back before 6 young lady. We are going to have a very, very long talk."_**

"You got it mom!" the fox shouted back.

"MOM! WHAT DO YOU MEAN MOM!" Naruto shouted, before Kitsune reverse summoned the three of them back to Konoha.

Silence finally settled back over the throne room, and Lady Xi turned her gaze on the last remaining occupant.

" ** _You were involved in this somehow,_** " she spoke in an even tone, with a hint of steel.

"I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about, your highness. I would never let it slip to the princess that a potential summoner would be arriving today. Our tutoring sessions are focused on her education only."

Lady Xi growled but did not move.

 ** _"This is a dangerous game you are playing, you old fool."_**

"Perhaps…but you granted me permission to sort this mess out, so trust in my ability to see it through."

" ** _I shall. Just remember not to overstep your boundaries."_**

"Would never dream of it," he chuckled before offering his own bow and making his way out of the throne room.

As the doors closed behind him, he glanced down at the storage seal atop his cane.

He pressed his finger against the mark, revealing the dirtied scroll Kitsune had given him earlier. As carefully as he could, he unrolled the parchment and glanced down the list of names towards the bottom.

' _A dangerous game indeed. The steps from here on out are going to be all the more difficult.'_

He gazed down at the second to last signature and sighed.

 _'What trouble are you bringing us, Naruto Uzumaki?'_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Introducing the regal and imposing Lady Xi and her energetic and youngest pup, Kimi. As if you couldn't guess, Kimi is Naruto's personal summon with the foxes. I really like Lady Xi, and we'll be seeing more of her in the future. You know how Jiraiya always made Gamabunta out as this temperamental boss that would never listen (but actually turned out to be a total team player and always worked with Naruto when he needed him)? Lady Xi is very similar to that first description. She is royalty. An empress. She doesn't always have to work with her summoner, even if they need her to. She will only work with those who have earned her respect (and trust me, you could count that list on one hand).**

 **As for Kimi, she's a lot like Naruto. Energetic, a bit empty-headed, and has an unbreakable determination to do the right thing. Since she was born in a time after the foxes withdrew from the world, she is extremely curious about the human world and instantly latches on to anyone she sees.**

 **Anyways, now that the Forest of Death is finished, we can finally return to some plot threads that have been on the backburner for a while. There's still an Iwa prisoner and mole within the walls of Konoha, and it has been awhile since Hinata's scroll has acted up. Hmm. And don't forget, during the time skip, a new story is going to be launched to reveal more of Kitsune's back-story that will affect future arcs. Here's a little sneak preview of what it will cover: the 12 Guardians.**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To bigfan22)**

 **The Toads aren't going to have a problem with sharing a summoner. Their elders are pretty pragmatic. The foxes on the other hand… well, that will be covered in 2 chapters.**


	41. Chapter 41: Cheers

Chapter 41: Cheers

 _"That is so cool! Hey little buddy-" Naruto said reaching out before Bull started growling at him. "Whoa, whoa! What did I do?" he asked, stepping back._

 _"Bull, was that really necessary?" Kakashi chided._

 _"He reeks of fox," Bull replied bluntly as he stared into Naruto's eyes._

* * *

 _"My clan also has a summoning scroll, but not many people are allowed to sign it. While they are loyal to the clan, the summons are very picky about who they choose," Hinata piped in._

 _"Is it your father?"_

 _Her blush darkened as she stuttered, "I-I-It's m-me…""_

 _Naruto raced up to her and exclaimed, "WOW! You can summon_ ** _too_** _? That's so awesome Hinata-chan!"_

* * *

 _"Oh…shit," was all he could muster as the snakes reared up and stared down at him._

 _He glanced up at the massive serpents and only smirked. Oh, they were going to pay for getting the drop on him, especially, during his private business._

 _He raised his hand up to his face and bit his thumb._

 _"_ _Summoning Jutsu!" he cried, slamming his palm to the ground._

 _The snakes stood their ground at the sight of the cloud, and began to hiss as Ryoma's massive form emerged from the smoke._

 _Naruto couldn't wipe the grin off his face as he pushed charka into his legs to leap up Ryoma's leg. Gone were the days were he could simply jump up to reach Ryoma's back. Now, Ryoma's head was about two stories high._

 _"_ _Ready Ryoma?" Naruto asked, taking his place on the fox's head and running through hand signs._

 _"_ _Affirmative," the beast roared as it began sucking in air._

 _"_ _Fuuton: Raging Maelstrom!" the beast bellowed, followed by a concentrated stream of blistering air._

 _"_ _Katon: Fox Hellfire!" Naruto exclaimed as the crimson flame burst from his mouth._

 _The two collided, transforming the stream of wind into a massive flamethrower that tore the ground apart._

 _Two of the snakes darted to the side, but the middle one was not so quick. It roared as its flesh and bones were seared away by the intense heat._

 _Naruto cut off the jutsu as the other snakes began racing towards them._

 _"_ _They're flanking us. Get ready!" he shouted as he reached for his explosive notes._

 _'_ _I hope the others are having a better time than me,' he thought, tightening the grip on his kunai."_

* * *

Naruto shuffled his feet, waiting for Jiraiya to say something. He had been silent for over a minute now, and he was starting to get nervous. After finishing his story, Jiraiya had simply crossed his arms and stared at him. Would he be insulted if he were forced to turn down his offer? The boisterous man could be very hard to read when he wanted to.

"No offense, but I'm surprised that you of all people could manage to keep this to yourself."

"It's not like I ever really had anyone to talk about it with anyways," Naruto mumbled, staring at the ground. "Plus, after I found out about the Kyuubi, I wasn't exactly anxious to talk about it with my team either. I mean, they know now, but it hasn't really come up since then. Besides, it's a little personal for me. Kimi kept me company whenever I got…"

He fell silent and hugged Kimi closer to his chest.

' _I see,'_ Jiraiya mused before examining the small creature in the boy's arms. ' _Those markings…judging by their color, she's from the head family. No wonder he's been so tight-lipped about this. Lady Xi wouldn't exactly want her progeny paraded around, especially in our village."_

After another minute, he finally sighed. "Well isn't that just my luck? Here I am, trying to have some fun, and Kitsune beats me to it."

He cracked open an eye. "And I had it all planned out, too. I was going to summon a massive toad and blow your mind. The shocked expression of seeing a summons for the first time never gets old."

A light smile lit up Naruto's face as relief flooded his chest.

"You're not upset?"

"That you have another contract? Pfft, no. Only disappointed you blew my fun. Why would I be? You know you can sign more than one contract right?"

"Really? You can?" Naruto exclaimed, "That's awesome!"

His eyes grew wide as possibilities flooded his head. "How many can you have at once?"

"Don't push your luck, kid. Honestly, it depends on which clan you're aligned with. Some of them may allow their summoner to work with another, but there are a few who can be quite stingy about it. They can see it as an insult that you would want to rely on another clan other than them. Having one is rare enough. Two is as far as I'd recommend."

"Oooh! Oooh! That sounds like fun!" Kimi exclaimed, squirming out of Naruto's arms. "Let me go check with mom!"

With that, she disappeared with a pop.

"Will the toads really be okay with me having two contracts at once?" Naruto asked nervously.

Jiraiya place a hand on his chin. "A couple of them can let their egos get in the way, but the majority of them follow a more pragmatic mindset. Barring signing with the snakes, if it would help increase your abilities, I'm sure they'd allow it. The foxes on the other hand…"

Naruto opened his mouth to respond, when he was suddenly whisked away in a puff of smoke. He was caught off balance as he reappeared and gulped as he found himself inches away from Lady Xi's scowling face.

"Naruto! Naruto! I talked with mom," Kimi exclaimed as she bounced on top of Lady Xi's head. "She was so excited she choked on her wine!"

Naruto weakly chuckled and winced at the sight of Lady Xi's massive teeth. As spirited as Kimi was, sometimes she could be even more oblivious than him. It was part of what helped them match each other's energy.

 ** _"_** ** _Anything you would like to tell me, boy?"_** she growled, fixing him with her patented glare.

Naruto gulped and responded, "W-Well, um… your highness. I was just offered the chance to sign another contract, and I was curious if you would…well, permit me to… accept… two at the same time?"

He winced as he enunciated the finally word, and waited for her response.

 ** _"_** ** _Are the foxes suddenly not good enough for you, Uzumaki?"_** she asked in a chilling tone.

' _Uh oh...'_

"No, no, no! Not at all! I-I just thought…"

"Naruto, my boy! When did you get here?"

The occupants of the throne room glanced towards the entrance as Huli shuffled into the room.

"Lady Xi, looking extravagant as always," Huli called out as he made his way towards the ensemble. She scowled at his coincidental arrival, but remained silent as he made his way across the marble floor.

"I was curious as to where my student had run off to. I look away one second, and she's gone the next."

He chuckled as he came to a stop next to Naruto and tapped his cane on the ground.

"So, what sort of trouble have you gotten yourself into today, my boy?"

"Ugh…w-well, I was just explaining to Lady Xi that I was offered… I mean, asking permission to sign another contract," he gulped as Lady Xi returned her glare on him.

"Sounds like a splendid idea! Which clan has offered you a position?" Huli cheerfully replied, ignoring the growing irritation on Lady Xi's face.

"T-The t-toads, s-sir," he stuttered as he noticed Lady Xi's fur rise up in aggravation.

"Excellent! What a wonderful opportunity. It's been years since I last chatted with Fukusaku. I don't see any problems with that. The toads are one of the most respected and oldest clans in existence. Some of their members are even three times older than I am."

 ** _"_** ** _Are you quite finished?"_** a chilling voice boomed through the room.

Naruto flinched, but Huli remained unsettled.

"Oh calm down, my lady. You know as well as I do that the ability of our summoner reflects our clan as a whole. Wouldn't it be prudent for him to have access to as many resources as possible? We both know the toads would have a lot to teach him."

"Come on, mom. Pleeeeeeaaase? I want to make a new friend!" Kimi chanted as she leaned over her mother's head and gazed into her eyes.

Lady Xi remained silent. Naruto played with his collar as he watched her tails twitching in agitation. He didn't know what he had done, but ever since his first encounter with her, he could tell he was on her bad side.

" ** _Hmph, do as you wish."_**

Naruto let out a sigh of relief and offered her a bow.

"Thanks a lot, Lady Xi. I appreciate it."

He yelped as she grew close to his face once again.

" ** _Do not test the limits of my patience, Uzumaki. Now get out of my chamber room,"_** she growled as he disappeared in smoke. She twisted her head and glared at Huli. " ** _That goes for you too."_**

Huli simply nodded with a smile, and motioned for Kimi to join him. "Come along now. We have work to do."

Kimi nuzzled her mother's head once more and leapt off, before racing out the door.

After waiting to ensure she was gone, Xi spoke in a more hushed tone. **_"I don't know what game you're playing at, but I am willing to let it unfold. For now… However, if I feel it has gotten out of control, even for a second, you_** ** _will_** ** _explain yourself, elder or not."_**

"As you wish, my lady," Huli replied with a more genuine bow, before exiting the room.

* * *

Jiraiya sat in the shade enjoying the breeze as Naruto popped back into existence in the center of the field.

"Ah. You're back. Judging by the lack of scorched flesh, I take it things went well."

Naruto nodded and flopped onto the ground with a sigh of relief.

"Women are scary," he trembled.

" _Tell me about it_ ," Jiraiya mumbled as a particular blonde came to mind. He shook his head and began unrolling the massive scroll.

"So ready to get this show on the road?"

Naruto took a minute to get his breathing under control, before getting up and jogging over to the old sage. He knelt down on the grass and bit his thumb, before scrawling his name across the page.

"That should take care of that. Let's see what you can do," Jiraiya said as he rolled up the scroll.

Naruto nodded and was about to begin but paused.

"Um, how do I know which contract I'm going to summon from?

"You know how you can choose which specific fox you want to summon?" Jiraiya asked, which earned him a nod, "Same basic principle. Just concentrate on a toad and that's what you'll get."

"Got it."

Naruto ran through the motions and slammed his hand on the ground. The smoke cleared revealing a small, orange toad, which simply said, "Yo."

As the two began to excitedly chat, Jiraiya withdrew to his thoughts once again.

' _Now isn't that something else. He managed to summon Gamakichi on his first try. I know he's had some experience, but still…'_

He watched as Gamakichi hopped on top of the boy's head, causing the boy to laugh. As the two began conversing about the chunin exams, Jiraiya narrowed his brow as a new thought entered his head.

' _To think, he has not one, but two personal summons directly linked to boss families. That is unprecedented… Hmph, well isn't he something special?'_

He chuckled to himself before calling out, "Alright you two. You two can gossip all you want in your spare time, but if I remember correctly, we have work to do."

The pair grew silent and Naruto stood at attention. Gamakichi gave Jiraiya a mock salute, causing the old man to sigh. He motioned the boy to sit and shortly followed suit.

"Now, before we can begin training, we have to know what should be our focus. Let's talk about your matches. Which do you think is going to be more difficult?"

Naruto grew silent as he compared the two in his head. While Sasuke might have been facing the most dangerous, singular opponent of the tournament, he, himself, certainly had the more difficult line up.

While it still stung to admit, Kakashi-sensei was smart to focus training Sasuke instead of him. With Jiraiya, he arguably had the better instructor of the two.

Ehl was going to be tricky simply because there was so little he knew about him. The guy was lightening fast, no pun intended, and his match had ended so quickly it was impossible to tell what he had done or what else he had up his sleeves. He had a faint idea thanks to Neji's byakugan, but it was all really guesswork.

Speaking of Neji, just the thought of the guy made his blood boil. He couldn't stand the guy's pompous attitude and he still held a grudge from their interaction in the forest, but that wasn't really what set him off.

Despite what many people would say, Naruto was more observant than people thought. He was not ignorant of how Hinata reacted whenever the boy in question was brought up. He didn't know exactly why Neji carried a chip on his shoulder, but whatever it was, it was enough to make her flinch at the very mention of his name.

And that pissed him off.

"Neji," Naruto growled.

"Is that what you think? Or is it your feelings getting in the way? You don't want to spend your time preparing for one opponent, only to be knocked flat by the other."

Naruto took a breath and shook his head. "No, definitely Neji. As awesome as Sakura-chan has become, she is at a severe disadvantage to Neji. Due to his byakugan, she'll be unable to utilize her strength in genjutsu. Unless she is able to pull off something incredible, I see it being a short match, which means Neji will have used little chakra and will recover whatever stamina he looses before our fight."

His eyes steeled and he looked Jiraiya in the eye. "While I'll admit nothing would please me more than wiping that grin off his face, I won't let that cloud my judgment. "

Jiraiya nodded. "Well said."

Naruto gave him a confident grin. "Besides, it's not going to be just one-on-one," he laughed patting Gamakichi on the head.

"Oh really now? Just signing me up for the action? Oh, what the heck? Sounds like a blast. You can count me in," Gamakichi grinned.

The two shared a high five before turning back to Jiraiya. "So what's first?"

"Well, if you two are so adamant about working together, you are going to need some practice." Jiraiya sat down and raised four fingers.

"Aside from that, there are four things that I plan to cover with you. One, we are going to do something about that taijutsu form of yours." Before Naruto could argue, he cut him off. "Granted, you've certainly gotten better since the last time I saw you. From what Kakashi has told me, you are leaps and bounds ahead of where you were when he first met you. I'm not saying its bad, but it could use some work, especially considering your opponents."

Naruto held back his argument and let the old man continue. "Thanks to your teammate, you've had more exposure to the jyuuken form than most would. You'll know what to expect, but that doesn't mean you'll know everything. There is a reason why he was ranked as the top genin of his year, and as eccentric as his sensei may be, there is a reason that man is credited as the greatest taijutsu master in all of Konoha. You've seen the results of his work first hand in your preliminary match, and you can bet that the Hyuuga wasn't sitting on his ass during their practices."

Naruto fell silent as the bruises from his match with Lee reminded him just how effective Gai's teaching was.

"And you can bet that the Kumo nin also is proficient in taijutsu. You're fast, but he was on another level. Hopefully, by the end of this month, you'll at least be able to keep up with him."

Determination gripped his chest as he nodded.

"Good. We'll leave your clones to work on your forms, and you'll work with me on conditioning. Next, you are going to leave only two clones max to work on your fuinjutsu studies. Don't want to overload your brain on top of the physical exhaustion."

"Oh! By the way, thank you so much for teaching me about marking! It's incredible! I wouldn't have been able to beat Bushy Brows without it!" Naruto exclaimed, cutting him off.

"Good to hear you're putting it to good use," Jiraiya chuckled, "Third: Ninjutsu. You have a decent repertoire of jutsu under your belt thanks to Kitsune and Kakashi, but there's always room for expansion. Due to our limited time-table, we are only going to work on two."

Naruto deflated at that, but Jiraiya pressed on. "One of them was given to me by Kitsune," which earned a smile from Naruto, "and the other…"

Jiraiya cut off as he held up his hand. Naruto and Gamakichi fell silent as they watched blue chakra begin swirling in his palm. Neither could take their eyes off of the jutsu as Jiraiya rose to his feet.

They were enchanted as the man walked over to the closest tree and slammed the orb into the bark. They barely even blinked as the spinning orb drilled away at the bark, sending splinters flying. After five seconds, Jiraiya remove his hand, revealing a perfect hole in the tree.

"Is going to take up most of your time."

Naruto was silent as he digested all of this information. A million questions were buzzing through his head, but one was nagging above the rest.

"And the fourth thing?"

Jiraiya walked over and gave him a serious stare.

"It's about time you learned how to call the Kyuubi's chakra."

* * *

"I'm sorry to hear your daughter didn't make it past the preliminaries, Inoichi."

"Don't remind me. I'm proud of her for even making it that far, but that smug grin on Shikaku's face is driving me crazy. He won't say anything but he's holding it over us that his son made it. It's infuriating!"

Yoshio chuckled and slapped the man on the back.

"Well, her loss should motivate her to work harder. I'm sure her loss will actually be better for her in the long run. Here's to her future."

The two tapped their cups together and downed their drinks in one gulp.

Yoshio set his glass down and leaned forward. "Now, I don't think you invited me to the bar just to discuss your daughter. What's up?"

"Two things actually. First off, since it involved your company, I thought you'd be interested to know we may finally have some answers regarding the Iwa nin soon."

Yoshio face remained neutral as he leaned back. "Really now? What's changed? From what you've told me, some seal thing like what that blonde haired boy performed is keeping you from accessing his memories."

"It was and it has been a bitch to deal with. Luckily, Jiraiya-sama was able to take a look at it, and he should be done within the next day or two."

"Well… isn't that wonderful? I'm sure Kenta-san and the company would be very eager to hear your results."

"Agreed. I'll pass on what I can to you to you when the Hokage permits me. It has to be declassified before I'm technically allowed to tell you."

Yoshio was quiet but nodded in understanding. "And the second thing?"

"Well, as one of the more prominent clans, we have great seats reserved for the finals. One of my cousins isn't going to be able to make it since his wife is expected to go into labor that week. I have an empty seat and I was curious if you'd like to join me."

Yoshio cracked a smile. "I'm honored. I appreciate that Inoichi, and thank you for being so hospitable towards me ever since I moved here. You and your family have really made the transition easier."

Inoichi waved him off. "Think nothing of it." He glanced up at the clock above the bar, and sighed. "Ugh, I'm glad I was able to catch you, but it seems I have to get going."

"Oh, come on! Stay and have another drink!" Yoshio smiled.

Inoichi chuckled as he stood up. "Trust me, I'd love to, but I have a 6 packets of paperwork to finish tonight, and if I don't start now, I'm going to be up until 2. I'll send you those tickets in the mail. You're going to love it. VIP and everything. I'll catch you later."

He offered the man one final wave before he exited the bar. Yoshio lowered his hand, and remained quiet for several seconds. After a chuckle, he waved over the bartender for another shot.

Everything was going so perfectly it was almost pitiful. He had expected so much more from the illustrious Konoha. The only real obstacle he had faced since entering the village was his first interaction with Shikaku Nara. The man was as brilliant as they said he would be, but even his keen mind could be dulled with enough shots.

Still, he was surprised how fast it had taken for them to break the Zaofu's seal. But then again, it really didn't matter anymore. Their insurance was already in place. Inoichi would never find the memories he was looking for, no matter how many times he looked. On top of that, now he had front row seats to observe the biggest threats his village would face in the future. All paid for by the Yamanaka.

' _Cheers, Inoichi Yamanaka. Thank you for your service, albeit unintended, to the glory of Iwa_ ,' he thought as he downed another drink.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 ***** This message is more for older readers. Again, in case you missed it, I went back and altered the details regarding the density seal back in chapter 20. I plan to bring it back, but I want to make sure the new rules for it are understood. ******

 **TRAINING BEGINS NOW! Next up, we'll see how the others are doing. Plot lines are starting to connect as we head to the finals.**

 **Regarding the ending of the last chapter, my wording is very specific. Draw your own conclusions, but never assume.**

 **I have noticed and I appreciate you guys pointing out there are grammatical errors. It would be a real big help if you could PM me specific parts. That would make it so much easier for me to make adjustments.**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To TimeShifter)**

 **Thanks for the criticism. To put your mind at ease, I'd like to address some of your concerns. First, regarding the tails of the foxes, there is no connection between them and the tailed beasts. In Japanese lore, mythical foxes were depicted having multiple tails, and the number they had was usually (you guessed it) nine. I wanted to pay homage to that without making it seem like they were related to the Kyuubi. The fact that they have different numbered tails is just homage to the lore. Like Huli said, if anything the Kyuubi was based on them. As you saw in this chapter, I actually had been planning on this from the start. I dropped a couple subtle hints so that the reveal didn't seem to come too much out of left field.**

 **Regarding Anko, I'll admit you kinda got me there. Originally, Anko had a much bigger role in this story, but I've had to limit her. After I started to realize how overpowered the Hiraishin was going to be, I had to rewrite the draft that she was a part of. She will have a bigger role in the time skip and shippuden half of this story, but her role in Part 1 is indeed limited. If you noticed some wordplay, she's also part of my plans for Kakashi.**

 ***** The big one, Kitsune and the memory thing. This keeps coming up and I'm starting to feel that I didn't convey it as well as I should have. He's not getting the memories from an item. He physically met with Ria before he left and used a jutsu to store her memories in the totem. The visions Huli and Kitsune saw were not exactly 3D. They were like a projector, whose POV was limited to what Ria saw.**

 **(To AntiCreator)**

 **Ooo. Now that's a good question. It actually made me pause as I thought it over. It depends. There is a difference between who is stronger and who would win in a fight. The classic BvS situation. Take away the Tailed Beast Bombs (which, let's be honest, are basically nukes), and I think Lady Xi would come out on top, but it would be an uphill battle for her the entire way.**

 **(To Olfrik)**

 **Thank you for the serious review. It was very helpful, and gave me things to think about.**

 **(To Blindguy95)**

 **Great point. That's why I've really limited how many we'll be seeing to around 5 or 6.**


	42. Chapter 42: Control

Chapter 42: Control

"Again."

Hinata nodded and wiped the pouring sweat from her forehead. She took several deep breaths before raising her arms parallel at her waist. She clenched her fists and the flaming, blue chakra roared to life.

After three seconds, the writhing chakra finally took shape into bright blue fangs. As the form settled, she shifted her feet and began pumping as much chakra as she could through her arms. She grit her teeth and fought to keep the shape of the technique from falling apart from the sudden influx of chakra.

Hiashi stood off to the side near the porch and watched as Hinata struggled to keep the influx of chakra in check.

While there were certainly areas of Hinata's development he had opinions about, her chakra control was not one of them. He had to admit that, even for a Hyuuga, her chakra control was impeccable for her age.

Still, that would not be enough.

Not for what he had planned for her.

Since the first day of their training, he had made her repeatedly push her original technique to its limits. By pumping more and more chakra into the technique, it would be all the more difficult for her to maintain the jutsu's structure.

Aside from working on her chakra control, there were two other reasons he had her repeating this. The first was a flaw that he had noticed in the jutsu, when she had shown him it weeks ago: how long it took to form.

When he first witnessed her perform the jutsu, he had noted it took her six seconds for the chakra to settle into place. In battle, timing was everything. For a ninja, six seconds was a lot of time. For any jounin worth his rank, that was enough time to fire off two jutsu. By forcing her to form the jutsu again and again, she had successfully been able to reduce the time by half.

The other reason was that he could tell that the jutsu was not finished. Every now and then, she would pump too much chakra into the technique, but instead of falling apart, the jutsu would seem to change its shape. One time, he could have sworn he saw something reminiscent to eyes, before she could no longer support the shape.

She would be able to develop this further as she grew older. With age came larger reserves and greater control.

As his mind began to wander, his calm demeanor slowly began to shift into one of irritation as the nagging memory crawled through his mind.

' _Orochimaru knows.'_

Two words that still sent shivers even down his spine. Ever since the Hokage and Hinata had spoken with him, not a day had gone by without the paranoid thought crawling through his head.

He was thankful that his daughter and her team had managed to escape mostly unharmed from their encounter with the serpent sannin, but the interaction only created another problem for him to deal with.

Not only did Orochimaru know about the stone ring, but also he was aware of Hinata's connection to it.

That concerned him more than anything. While he was disturbed that the man had knowledge of the stone ring, he could have assumed it was simply due to the sannin's obsession with ancient texts regarding any clan with a kekkai genkai. However, the fact that he knew about Hinata told him one thing: there was a traitor within the clan.

And not only was there a traitor, but the traitor was someone on the Hyuuga council. Due to the clan's rules regarding the ring, only they were updated about Hinata's revelations from the monument.

While that certainly narrowed down the possibilities, it still left twenty-five of the most influential individuals within the clan as suspects.

He would have to play both filibusterer and detective in this endeavor. To prevent any further leaks, he would have to withhold information from the council, but at the same time, they would grow suspicious if he went too long without informing them of her progress.

He sighed as he rubbed his brow. This was going to be difficult. He would need to reach out to Shikaku for assistance once again.

He was brought out from his musings as Hinata fell to her hands and knees. She was heavily panting and sweat was pouring from her face. Hiashi glanced at the clock he had brought out with them and was pleased.

' _Five minutes. I believe that's a new record,'_ he mused.

"Hinata, I believe that is enough for that exercise today. You may rest," he called out.

Hinata weakly nodded and unceremoniously flopped to the ground. She rolled onto her back and simply lay there for several seconds, before reaching out for her water bottle off to the side and draining it in a single gulp.

She pulled at her navy mesh shirt, trying to fan herself as she cooled off. Normally she felt embarrassed to wear anything that showed off her shoulders, but this was training and she was at home. Besides, it was simply too hot for her to wear her normal hoodie.

After about a minute, she regained her breath and pushed herself off the ground. She wiped her face with a small towel as she made her way towards the shaded porch. She sank against the wood, and sat in silence as her father stood beside her.

"You lasted forty seconds longer than your last run. Tomorrow, I expect you to be able to hold out for six minutes. Understood?"

"Yes sir," Hinata nodded as she wiped her forehead.

"Good. After you have rested, I think it's time we got to work on what I promised you."

Despite her exhaustion, Hinata immediately sat up. Her eyes were full of anticipation as Hiashi began to remove his normal garb, revealing his own training outfit.

Her break all but forgotten, Hinata trailed behind her father towards the center of the courtyard. Hinata excitedly waited as her father worked through his own series of warm ups.

When he finally turned around, she stood at attention as he addressed her.

"Now, you have been working on improving your chakra control because the technique I plan to teach you takes the utmost precision and concentration. As you know, your mother invented this jutsu, and it went on to be one of her signature techniques. I expect you to honor its legacy and reputation."

"Absolutely!" Hinata shouted, nodding her head.

"Good. Now, watch carefully."

Hinata activated her byakugan as Hiashi raised his left arm. He closed his eyes and flattened his palm, as he began channeling chakra into his forearm. Hinata didn't even blink as she observed his chakra began to take shape in a wedge at the tip of his fingers, not unlike how Kabuto had formed his chakra scalpels.

She watched in fascination as the edges along the fingers became more and more sharp until…

She slightly jumped back as the chakra shot out from his fingertips, leaving a flat, steady beam of chakra in its wake. Her eyes widened at how calm the chakra was behaving as she gazed up and down all three feet of the blade.

"On record, the clan refers to this technique as the Eight Trigrams: Vacuum Blade."

Hinata was silent as she stared at the slender sword of chakra. The more she looked at it, the more a question began to burn in her mind.

"Umm… tou-san?"

"Yes?"

"Why is it called "Vacuum Blade"? You are not using wind style like in the Air Palm technique."

Hiashi nodded, "Very good. I am glad you noticed. That is simply the name we have listed on record. The actual reason for the name is actually trudged down by technicalities."

He sighed as he gazed at the glowing blade. "Your mother simply called it a chakra blade, and that would be a more accurate title, but those already exist. They are special blades that utilize a special metal from Iron country that amplify the affect of chakra."

Hinata nodded. She had looked into the metal when she and Naruto had searched for Sasuke's birthday present. It had been quite expensive, but she was certain it had been worth it. She was sure Sasuke would be able to bring out its full potential.

"Now, what can you tell me based on your observations?" Hiashi asked as he raised his arm.

Hinata was silent before responding, "W-well, I noticed that the chakra isn't really fluctuating that much. It's perfectly smooth."

"That's correct. That is partly why this technique requires so much control. This jutsu requires several steps," he said as he dissipated the blade.

He whipped his arm and a small shower of chakra began flowing from his wrist. He flattened his palm, and the chakra slowly began forming into the sharp edge along his fingertips.

"As you can see, the first step involves concentrating your chakra and flattening it to the shape of your hand. The second stage…"

This time, he slowed the technique and the chakra slowly began to push out from his hand. After two feet it crept to a stop, and he turned to face her.

"Involves length. This requires a great amount of control since you must keep the length of the blade the same while you use it. Now, look to the edge of the blade."

Hinata glanced to the end and noticed that it no longer had its sharp edge. It was still angled, but the edge was wispy and almost gas like, as chakra was released into the air.

"The third stage is the most difficult to master. Now that you know how to make the edge and enlarge it, the final stage is cleaning up the details."

Hiashi barely moved as the length of chakra began to compact and shape into the smooth and clean blade.

"Forming the blade is relatively easy. Maintaining it as you move and think is the true challenge. With time, it shall become easier and easier, but without enough concentration, the technique shall fall apart."

To demonstrate his point he walked over to a training dummy and slashed at it with the deformed blade. The chakra simply bounced off the wood and dissipated into the air.

Hiashi was quiet as he burned off the remaining chakra. He stood perfectly still before slashing upward too fast for Hinata to see. The dummy remained still for a second before splitting perfectly in half and falling to the ground.

Hiashi turned around and gazed at Hinata, who was still rooted in her spot. Her eyes were wide, and he noticed the usual timid look in her eye was gone. Instead was a raging look of determination of excitement that he had only seen on three occasions.

"Are you ready to begin?"

She couldn't nod fast enough as she shouted, "Yes sir!"

* * *

On the other side of Konoha, the other member of Team 7 still present in the city was also hard at work.

"24…25…Come on! Come on! Is that the best you can do? You still got thirty more to go this set. Stop slowing down!" Gamakichi shouted as he gazed down at his new summoner.

"I'm working on it," Naruto grunted as tried to ignore the small, but surprisingly heavy toad on his back.

To take his mind off his seemingly endless set of pushups, he gazed out at the field at the clones hard at work.

All across the grassy terrain, his clones were diligently working on their assignments. About eight of them stood in a block repeating the taijutsu forms Ero-sennin had shown him yesterday again and again.

Another set of three clones was off to the side with several sheets of paper as they worked on ideas for dealing with both Neji and Ehl.

Finally, he gazed off to his right at two clones arguing over something as they tried their best to pop the bucket of water balloons Ero-sennin had left him with. The man had truly set him up big time. Sure he had a lot to do, but damn him if he wasn't going to get all of it done.

"Stop yer daydreaming!" Gamakichi snickered as he smacked Naruto on the head with a tiny fan. "Jiraiya wants twenty sets done before we're done with push ups for today, and I don't see us doing that at your pace!"

Naruto growled as he rubbed at the red mark on his cheek. "Having fun are you?"

"Don't know what you're talking about," the toad replied with a smirk.

Naruto grit his teeth, but continued anyways. He was silent as he thought about his absent teacher. The man had at least apologized, but he was still missing a day of training. He could understand that the man had duties to the village, but he didn't have to like it.

What could be so important that they would need him?

* * *

The three men in the room turned to look at the door as Jiraiya entered the cell.

"Are we ready to begin?"

"Whenever you are," Kitsune replied.

Jiraiya nodded and walked up to the prisoner. He crouched to the ground as he pulled out a tiny sheet of paper. Sealing really was a marvel. Eight square feet of writing all condensed into a tag no larger than his index finger.

He reached into the prisoner's mouth and spied the tiny index of markings near the uvula. He took the tag and pressed it against the roof of the prisoner's mouth, before racing through hand signs.

He came to a stop and raised two fingers, which began to glow with a green fire. He tapped the tag inside the mouth and whispered, "Activate."

The markings along the tag combed out and began racing outside of the Zaufu's mouth and along his entire body. The jagged symbols above his tongue circled the target before pouncing and tearing apart the previous code. The countermeasures of the Iwa seal attempted to activate, but were cut short by Jiraiya's work.

After twisting and struggling for two minutes the Iwa seal froze and glowed red. The markings all along the Zaufu's body lit up as well, before slowly fading away as if they were never there.

Jiraiya inspected the man one last time, before pushing himself up.

"He's all yours Inoichi."

"Finally," Ibiki grinned, as he watched the Yamanaka trade spaces with Jiraiya in front of the prisoner.

Inoichi placed his hand atop the prisoner's forehead and closed his eyes. After a few seconds, he reopened them to find himself standing in a dark, empty void. Beneath him was the prisoner's brain, or at least its mental projection. He knelt to his knees and placed his hands against the projection and was quite as his mind began racing with information.

He stood still as the memories flashed past his eyes. He soared through the prisoner's sessions with Ibiki and the last two months in Konoha, until he found himself gazing at the struggling forms of Team 7.

He had to admit he was impressed. No wonder all of Kakashi's kids had made it past the preliminaries. He took the time to play through the battle, and watch as the genin held the pair of foreign chunin off.

He paused the memory just before the Uzumaki and Uchiha lit the man aflame. He had no intention to experience that sensation.

He continued to rewind until he found the memory of the full Iwa group underground. As they sat there, Daiki's eyes shot open when he heard scratching against the walls and a gopher poked its head through the wall.

It was startled when metal spike landed next to its head and it wailed, "It's me you idiots! Hold your fire!"

Kyou held Takara's arm to ensure that the brown haired chunin wouldn't shoot any thing else at the poor creature.

The jounin of the group knelt before the creature and asked, "What news does _Yoshio_ -"

At the mention of the name, the world froze, and Inoichi became paralyzed as a strange sensation washed over him. To the others inside the prison cell with him, it seemed like nothing was wrong. If they had been facing him, however, perhaps they would have noticed the slight green glow that washed over Inoichi's eyes.

He quietly mumbled something to himself, before some force motivated him to continue past this memory.

The world inside Inoichi's mind melted away and the underground meeting faded to black. In its place, rose a different memory.

As it played in his mind, Inoichi began mumbling again. This time, however, it did not go unnoticed. Kitsune sent him an odd glare as Inoichi shook his head and pulled out from the man's mind.

"Everything alright?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just… disappointing I guess."

"What do you mean?" Ibiki asked, pushing himself off the wall.

"I'm afraid we've been looking too far into this. The reason they were sent on this mission is because this chunin has a bit of a big mouth. He pissed off the jounin commander in Iwa, and was assigned a high-risk mission deep into our territory as punishment.

Everyone was silent as they processed this information.

"Something isn't right. This doesn't sit well with me," Kitsune murmured.

"Me neither," Ibiki agreed, "This guy was way too defensive just for that. You sure Inoichi?"

"It seems odd to me too. Perhaps he was worried we'd execute him if we thought we couldn't get anything useful out of him?"

Ibiki was silent as he scratched his chin.

"Tell you what. I'll set aside three days to really deep scan him and play through everything. If there are any hidden objectives in there, I'll find them. I can get started right now. I cleared out my calendars for this anyways."

"Well, that was anticlimactic," Jiraiya sighed as he rubbed his neck, "and I spent so much time on the seal. Oh well. If that's all, I gotta get going. I've got a runt that needs training, and he's probably sore as it is that I had to miss today."

"Wait a minute," Kitsune cut in, before Jiraiya could leave.

He pressed his thumb against the seal on his forearm, and revealed a small white totem.

"You remember this?" he asked, tossing it to Inoichi.

"Ah yes, I helped you extract the memories from Ria into this a few months ago," he replied as he inspected the bone-white baton.

"How are your sessions going by the way?"

"Positive. There was a lot of resistance at first, and quite a bit of swearing, but I do feel as though she is opening up more. She's even made a new friend in the Uchiha, though she's very reluctant to call him that."

"Really?" Jiriaya asked, folding his arms.

"Oh yes. Anyways, what do you need me to do with this?" he asked turning towards Kitsune.

"Since we have a Iwa shinobi right here, maybe his memories can answer some questions. I'm looking for a particular man. Bald, 6' 8'', and has a tattoo on his shoulder."

Inoichi paused as he dug through the memories in the totem.

"Got him. I'll take a look."

Inoichi placed his hand back atop the prisoner's forehead and dove back into his mind. As he waded through the lifetime of memories, he focused on the dark silhouette of the imposing man, until he found himself standing in a massive crowd.

He had seen this place dozens of times through the memories of others, but it was always unnerving to stand in the center of Iwagakure.

"Takara, I think we should leave," a voice called from his left.

He turned to face the man he remembered as the prisoner's friend from the mission.

"The hell do you mean Kyou?"

"The crowd is growing too restless for my taste. Let's just bounce man," he pleaded.

"Head out if you want to. I'm staying for the main event!"

"Suit yourself! I'm heading out!" his friend shouted before making his way through the crowd. As he turned away, the crowd went crazy as the figure finally hobbled his way on stage.

Inoichi felt the prisoner's heartbeat rise at the sight of the old man. This was what they were waiting for. The Zaufu and the crowd began to chant as the old man waved at the crowd and made his way towards the center of the stage.

"YUUTA!"

"YUUTA!"

The man clenched his fist and slammed it against his heart. An act mirrored by the entire crowd. As he began to speak, Inoichi froze the memory.

He stopped it as soon as he had caught sight of his quarry. Standing off to the side of the stage was a large man with his arms crossed against his chest.

The prisoner mumbled in his sleep as the man in question was brought to the forefront of his mind.

" _Bossa…Bossa Zaufu."_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 *****Sorry for the delay. I was very busy over the past few weeks. I had several projects and tests, which included midterms, plus I went skiing for spring break.**

 **Anyways, we have made it, ladies and gentleman. We now have over 2000 followers! Give yourself a round of applause. It's all thanks to you guys.**

 **Well, everyone is hard at work getting ready for the finals. While the genin prepare, the higher ups are dealing with an even bigger scheme. The mole's agenda is at work and he's covered his tracks. Now, the best chance of his identity leaking has been dealt with. But just what has he done to Inoichi? While he may not be able to discern the prisoner's true mission, Inoichi is still able to look around other parts of his mind. Kitsune finally has his lead in the case of Ria's parents.**

 **Btw, if you guys would like a visual aide to help picture one of Hinata's new jutsu, you should follow this link: (** art/Hinata-jutsu-Eight-Trigrams-Vacuum-Blade-390520872 **)** **All credit goes to MattWilson83** **. (P.S. If you haven't read the NaruHina Chronicles do yourself a favor and read it. There are like 215 chapters with 19 pages each. May satiate that Naruto hole that the Boruto manga hasn't been filling.)**

 **Review Corner:**

 **(To M1SYERY)**

 **I agree with your several of your points. I'm working on improving my characterization. It just takes practice.**

 **Regarding Naruto and the Hiraishin, isn't most of fanfiction a stretch? Anyways, I stated that he only worked out part of the formula. If he completely understood it, he would have realized the problem long before Jiraiya explained it to him. I also agree that it would be better for him to work it out fully over the time skip, but the original inspiration for this story was Naruto using the Hiraishin. It was a fierce debate whether or not Naruto would finish the Hiraishin in Part 1 or the time skip. It could have gone either way, but I made up my mind and moved around the order of learning jutsu. For instance, I moved up the Rasengan since Naruto had plenty of free time to learn it for the finals.**

 **Regarding Lady Xi, I'm honestly surprised that everyone latched onto that one comment in their reviews instead of the events of the chapter. I never said she would beat him easily. I explained in the response that, in terms of strength, Kurama is more powerful. I even said she would only win if you took away the Bijuudama.**

 **(To )**

 **The conflict between the two has not been revealed yet. Your guess is very close, but there is more to it.**

 **(To Adventreader221)**

 **In the order you asked: no, by the end of the time skip, and spoilers.**

 **(To Swagirama)**

 **I used to, but I haven't nailed down a new one yet. Still adjusting to my new classes and schedule this semester.**

 **(To forgetmenotlovely)**

 **In canon, he literally did nothing during this time. All he did was summon tadpoles and talk to the Fox once. Besides, he only has four things to study that he can spread out with shadow clones.**

 **(To RadioPoisoning)**

 **I guess you're right. TBH, whenever I think of the Hiraishin, I think of Minato from the Ninja Storm games. While the yellow flash technically doesn't always appear, I think it helps from a writer's perspective by creating a vivid image for the reader to imagine in their head.**

 **Regarding Sasuke, that is something I have noticed as well. I'll admit it: writing Sasuke is hard for me. I agree that he hasn't exactly had the limelight to himself to show off his skills, but I am working on that. It might not necessarily be this arc, but I have plans for the future. The first arc during the time skip is going to be completely based around him.**

 ******* This will become more apparent with time, but I have planned to break up the story so that each part focuses on a different aspect of this Team 7. The beginning introduced them one at a time, but it mostly focused on Hinata. Like I've said before, this is because she had less canon development than the boys. The rest of Part 1 is to truly flesh out that they are a team. Not just that they're close, but that they're efficient. During the time skip, the first half with focus on Sasuke's physical and emotional trials that result from a devastating incident. The second half will focus on Naruto as he is thrust into a situation he has never faced before. His optimistic views of the world will be tested as he faces some of the worst humanity has to offer. Afterwards, they will be brought back together again to flesh out their team element, but they will also come to realize that the others have changed in the past few years. Each of them will have their problems, and they will have to lean on each other for support. What makes them work is that they balance each other out. Naruto looks for the best in people, but Sasuke is more pragmatic. Hinata serves as the middle ground when the other two can't reach a agreement. That is how you make a successful Team 7.**

 **(To Zuki217)**

 **There actually was the idea for a fox sage mode floating around when I first wrote this story. It was going to be based on rage and aggression instead of tranquility, but I eventually scrapped it. Like with the Hiraishin, Naruto had been growing too over powered in the draft and I needed to tone him down. Regarding Sasuke's summons, that will be an entire arc focused on him during the time skip. Don't want to talk too much about it, but Huli does make a offhand comment in Chapter 40 that could give you some ideas.**


	43. Chapter 43 - Face-to-Face

Chapter 43: Face-to-Face

It was getting around noontime and the mission office was finally starting to settle down. Most of the genin and chunin teams had been assigned their daily tasks, and the staff were considering where to grab lunch before the door was violently slammed open.

Everyone froze as they recognized the two men standing in the doorframe.

"All non-essentials out. Now." Ibiki ordered.

There was a loud shuffle of feet as the chunin officers quickly made their way out of the room. No one dared to argue or complain.

The last chunin shut the door behind him, leaving an unsettling silence behind as the two men stared back at the Hokage and Shikaku Nara.

"I believe we've identified the culprit in our Iwa princess case," Ibiki growled as Kitsune walked up and dropped a stack of folders onto the Hokage's desk.

The old man grabbed the top file and glanced down the page before handing it over to Shikaku. The man's sharp eyes tore down the page before settling on the masked image in the top right corner.

"Bossa Zaufu," he muttered as the Hokage nodded for Kitsune to begin.

"Bossa Zaufu is a S ranked Iwa ANBU agent codenamed Titan. He's accomplished 17 S-ranked missions that we are currently aware of, who knows how many we don't, and suspected to behind the assassination of the Rice Daiymo's son. Despite the man's reputation, he's been incredibly hard to identify. We would have never been able to link the two together without the memories from our prisoner. The man's next in line for clan head, and could honestly claim the title any time if he really wanted."

He paused as the Hokage begin scrolling through a mission report from the pile.

"That man is as sharp as they come, plus he hits like a god damm ox," Ibiki growled as he folded his arms.

"You've met him?" Shikaku asked.

"Twice. Indirectly during the war, and a short confrontation a few years afterwards," Ibiki grunted as he scratched at his head. "The first time, we were moving deep into enemy territory on a rescue operation. One of our spy's messages had been intercepted, and they were closing in on his identity fast. We were sent in to pull him out. When we got to the rendezvous point, we found the spy… with his head literally smashed to pieces. They had discovered it was him, and set a trap for us. It might not have ensnared us that night, but we were caught a week later, 30 miles from the border. During my imprisonment, I discovered it was all because of a rookie who had grown suspicious of our man and followed him home. After spying on him, he confronted him and beat him within an inch of his life. He dragged him back to his superiors and after they pried as much as they could out of him, they set the trap and waited for us to arrive. A few years later, when I finally captured the man who gave me my beauty marks, I found out that the rookie's name was Bossa Zaufu."

Ibiki was silent as he ran a hand over his head. "He might not have been directly responsible for my capture and torture, but he's a part of the reason why I'm as 'handsome' as I am today."

"The next time?" Shikaku asked, prompting him to continue.

"Ran into him a few years later after I'd interrogated my captor. I was with ANBU's Delta unit at the time, and to put it midly, he knocked us around. The man moves ridiculously fast for his size. Plus that metal ability of their clan made him almost impossible to deal with hand-to-hand. Damm near broke my hand after taking a swing at him."

The Hokage was silent as he listened to the story. He sent the man an appreciative nod before slamming the folder shut.

"Finally, this is something we can use. What is his connection to Yuuta Tsubasa?"

"From Jiraiya-sama's sources, he's not just his right hand man, he's his enforcer. If Yuuta wants you to do something, Bossa will snap as many bones as necessary before you're willing to comply."

"Certainly a pleasant fellow," Shikaku sarcastically remarked as he flipped through another packet.

"Well, we have a face and a name. Now we need proof solid enough to bring before the Tsuchikage. He's not just going to take the word of a Yamanaka, but it's a start. Yuuta is mostly his problem, but I don't want to send the children back if it would just put them in Yuuta's line of fire again."

He sighed before glancing between the two. "You both have done an admirable job. Inoichi as well. For now, we need to focus on security during the finals. If all goes as planned, Danzo, Shikaku, and I shall discuss our next plan of action. Dismissed."

* * *

(3 Weeks Later)

Naruto growled as he stared down at his palm. He fought past the pain of blisters and clenched his wrist as he began swirling the chakra once again. As the blue threads of chakra began viscously swirling, he brought up his other hand and began violently clawing over the spherical shell.

 _'Come on! Focus. Rotation! Rotation! Rotation! Come on!'_

Finally, the chakra began to settle into shape, and his hand froze as he stared down at the perfect, blue sphere spinning in his hand.

His eyes lit up through his exhaustion and he felt his heart skip a beat. All his hard work culminating in this one moment.

' _I did it…'_

His elation only lasted a few seconds before the sphere began to strain without the added control from his other hand, before it violently exploded, sending him flying through the air.

"GODDAMIT!" he roared as he slammed against the ground and tumbled several feet away.

He hissed as he came to a halt, and tried to ignore the sharp sting of numerous lashes across his hands and face.

He heard giggling off to the side, only causing him to growl more as he tried to push himself up. As he sat back on his butt, he sent Kimi and Gamakichi a death glare, which only caused the two to crack up more.

"Yeah, yeah. Glad you guys are enjoying the show," he huffed as he carefully rubbed at his hands.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Gamakichi chuckled as he watched Kimi trot over to her summoner and start licking at his wounds. Jiraiya stood right beside him, and despite having a light smile on his own face; his mind was still processing what he had just seen.

' _Incredible. To get his far in such a short amount of time... I was hoping he'd just get to at least the second stage, and here he is almost completing the damm thing. Well, in his own way.'_

Jiraiya glanced off to the side at the other clones, which were finishing up their daily routines. The taijutsu clones were practically done already, and the ones studying fuinjutsu were packing up their tools.

Today's training was drawing to a close, and it was about the time that they would usually called it quits. Well, he would anyway. Even though he'd be exhausted, the brat would whine and complain, but eventually yield and they'd repeat the whole experience the next day.

However, today he had something different in mind. As he turned to look at the orange sunset, he decided it was about time.

"All right kid, quit your moaning' and get over here," Jiraiya called.

Naruto limped his way over towards the man with Kimi excitedly wagging her tails beside him.

"You know what you did wrong?" Jiraiya asked as he folded his arms.

"…yes," Naruto grumbled as he gently tried to push his hands against his jacket, as if it would somehow alleviate the stinging.

"Good. As long as you learn from it, failure is always an option in my book. Sometimes a necessary one, if I'm being honest. Anyways, think you have enough in you for one more? And I don't want to hear the stubborn crap. Yes or no?"

Naruto bit his teeth as he felt for the normally vast pool of chakra in his body. To be honest, he was spent. Today had been yet another fresh hell as they moved on to the next step of the Yondaime's jutsu. His whole body felt sore, his hands were a mess, and his normally vast reserves were actually at the lowest he had ever felt them. Yeah, turning in now sounded just fine with him.

"…Tch, fine. No, I don't. Let's call it a day."

He knelt to the ground and scratched Kimi behind the ears.

"Thanks you two for your help today. I'll see you again tomorrow."

"Remind me to bring popcorn. The next few days are going to be a riot," Gamakichi laughed from behind Jiraiya's legs.

"I wouldn't be laughing if I were you. Tomorrow, you'll be joining him. Bunta told me he thinks you've been slacking on your own training, Gamakichi," Jiraiya smirked.

Gamakichi's orange hue began fading very fast. He sent Naruto a short glare for his giggling before popping in a cloud of smoke.

"Bye Naruto! See you tomorrow!" Kimi exclaimed before nuzzling against his neck, before disappearing as well.

Naruto chuckled and began turning to head home, but was surprised when Jiraiya reached out and grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Huh? What's up, Ero-sennin?"

Despite a brief flicker of irritation, Jiraiya's face seemed oddly serious.

"Follow me. There's something I want you to see."

Without another word, he turned around and began walking into the forest, away from the village.

Naruto stood surprised for a few seconds, before jogging after him. He quickly fell in step beside the older man, and was disappointed when he remained speechless. The two continued on through the woods as the sun began to set lower and lower.

As time went on, it was becoming more and more difficult for him to see where they were even going. After about thirty minutes of walking, Jiraiya finally came to a stop as the woods began to open up into a clearing.

Jiraiya reached up and snapped of a branch from a tree. He lit it with a low-level katon jutsu, and glanced down at the blonde boy.

"Umm… Jiraiya-sensei. What are we doing out here?"

"I believe it's about time we went over our final plan for your training."

Naruto went rigid, as he suddenly understood. He felt his back straighten and his exhaustion fade away, as he was suddenly alert.

"Like I said before, I believe it's about time you learned how to access the Kyuubi's chakra. While that may not be a very popular opinion among some among Konoha's forces, I personally don't give a damm. While it may sound harsh, kid, a jinchuuriki is a nation's most powerful weapon and its greatest defense. Their presence alone is enough to dissuade any power hungry ideas. Now, I may not be in favor of this old tradition, but it is how the world is run today. With tensions on the rise, you may be needed to rise to the occasion in a few years. Quite frankly, I would rather you be prepared for the worst possible scenario than take the moral high ground and leave you unprepared."

Naruto was silent as he digested this. Although he knew the old man truly cared for him, the words still stung coming from his mouth.

"It sucks."

"It's compromise. Something that you'll find a lot of in our profession, especially if you ever get close to truly becoming Hokage."

Naruto sighed before asking, "Why does the world have to be so complicated?"

"Because people are stupid," Jiraiya replied bluntly, earning a light chuckle from the boy. He pressed on, "Our world is complicated, and it isn't all pretty. It's a violent mess that that thrives on conflict and leaves innocent lives broken in its wake. But, from my experience, those who work the hardest to bring balance to the world are usually those who have been hurt by it the most."

Jiraiya sighed as he shifted his weight. "You got dealt a crappy hand kid, no one's denying that. Hell, you got my respect for coming out as decent as you are. So understand it when I say that I know the idea of being a weapon sucks. Hell, all the jinchuuriki are given crappy treatment despite their importance. However, I say if you really want to make a difference, you're going to need every tool at your disposal. Despite how it may seem, I think we've already proven the fox has been saving your life for awhile now."

Naruto nodded and he clenched his fist, as he recalled the intense pain of the hole tearing open his chest.

"So what's our first step?"

Jiraiya nodded as he motioned him to follow him. As he came to a stop, Naruto grew incredibly tense as he finally noticed the gaping chasm in front of them.

"You already completed the first step. For you to access the Kyuubi's power, you need to have your own reserves tapped out. For the second step, you're going to need a strong motivator for the fox to willingly give up his chakra."

"How are we going to do that?" Naruto asked as he peered his head over the side and gazed into the darkness.

"Like this," Jiraiya replied before giving him a swift kick to the back.

Naruto's eyes popped out of his head and air filled his lungs as his screams echoed off the jagged spikes of the chasm's walls.

He flailed as he desperately tried to grab hold of an edge. He yelled in pain as a sharp edge slashed across his hand, reopening the cuts from his attempt at the rasengan.

His eyes sent a pleading look at Jiraiya, and his heart sank as he stared back at him.

He could see it in his eyes.

He was not going to jump after him.

He was on his own.

He cried out once more as he was swallowed up by the darkness.

* * *

Naruto's eyes shot open and he jumped up from the ground. He landed with a loud splash, causing him some confusion as he pressed his back against a stone wall. His eyes shot in every direction. His mind racing a mile-a-minute.

"What the… Where the hell am I?" he whispered as he glanced at the pipes hanging overhead.

"I… I was falling. He pushed me. How…. How did I get here?" he asked a little louder as he began pushing himself off the damp wall.

As his heartbeat began to return to normal, his mind started to pay attention to the tinier details around him. As he glanced at the ground, he noticed the ankle-high water was flowing off to his left down the dark corridor.

Maybe it was his hyperactivity, but he felt some strange pull and he decided to follow the stream.

It lead him through a maze of tunnels, weaving through the immense sewer system, until he turned a corner and found himself facing a steel door.

Cautiously, he made his way towards the door and slowly raised his arm to the handle. After a deep breath, he twisted the knob and opened the door into a massive room.

It honestly reminded him a bit of Lady Xi's throne room, though she'd eviscerate him if she ever heard that. It was only because of its size. He tilted his head and tried to see the roof of the room, but it seemed to stretch off into nothingness.

As he gazed down the corridor, he spotted some shape off in the distance. He waded his way through the room and began to make out a massive red cage.

As he came up to the bars, he reached out and ran his fingers along the smooth, yet cold surface.

"What is this here for?" he muttered to himself.

He instantly regretted asking that, and he nearly wet himself as a massive bloodshot eye opened up within feet of his face.

Horror struck him as a massive set of teeth broke out in a grin that pierced through the blinding darkness.

He jumped backwards and landed on his back as a massive, orange hand slammed against the bars. He gazed up at the massive claws, which retracted back into the cage, as the dark form began to rise up.

He was immobilized as the towering figure rose above him. It's eerie smile never left its face as it gazed down, almost as if it was studying him.

A dark chuckle echoed off the walls of the room, as he shakily rose to his feet.

The dark face leaned close to the bars, finally granting him a good look at the creature's face.

" **Finally. Here we are."**

"What the hell are you?" Naruto shouted as he gathered his courage.

" **Hehe. Care to venture a guess? There aren't many other individuals sharing your body last time I checked."**

Naruto was silent before his eyebrows narrowed and he growled.

"So you're the Kyuubi."

The creature seemed to bow in mock respect as it leered down on him.

" **So… we meet at last. The child host wrapped up in so much trouble."**

Naruto frowned as the immense, dark form stood up and stretched, before pacing across the length of the bars.

"What do you mean by that?"

The deep voice chuckled through the darkness.

" **I may be trapped in here, but that does not mean I am ignorant of the outside. I can see through your eyes. Hear through your ears. I notice things you cannot possibly imagine. I hear through these walls for the whispers echoing throughout your pathetic village."**

 **"** Stop with the riddles already! What did you mean by trouble?"

The beast came to a stop and began to comfortably lay down at the far edge of the cage to Naruto's left.

" **Where to even begin? The lost boy, left alone in a village that hates him. Forever to be an outcast. Chasing after an impossible dream that will never come true."**

Naruto shook his head as he ran down the length of the cage until he was in front of the beast's nose.

"You're wrong! I'll prove them all wrong! I already have people that accept me for who I am!"

" **You mean those two you consider a family? That… wretched Uchiha and the girl? Do you really know that they think of you the same way?**

His mind flashed back to their night in Wave as Hinata pull all three of them into a tight embrace. He remembered the tears he had shed, as they huddled together and accepted him.

"Yes! I do! You can't shake my belief in them that easily!"

The beast chuckled as it leaned towards the bars, causing Naruto to unconsciously take a step back.

" **If that's what you want to believe. Well, let's see if your faith in them will persevere as they confront their own demons."**

"Wh-What do you mean? What's wrong with Sasuke and Hinata? Tell me!"

The fox laid its massive heads back on its paws as it closed its eyes. However, its unsettling grin never left his face.

 **"What's wrong with the Uchiha, you ask? Where to start? A boy unable to heal from the tragedy of his family, branded by that cowardly serpent to be his slave, and of course inheriting the weight of his family's legacy. That clan has forever been marred by tragedy and sin. It is only a matter of time before he follows in their footsteps."**

Somehow the creature's grin seemed to double in size as he reopened his eye.

" **And the Hyuuga. The quiet, innocent girl whose entire life is full of disappointment and secrets."**

"What do you mean? Hinata tells us everything?"

 **"Everything?"**

Naruto nodded as he slammed his fist against the cage.

"She does. Just you watch, me and Sasuke are going to help her solve that stupid scroll. We don't keep any secrets from each other."

 **"Really? As I recall, the Uchiha was the only one who refrained from sharing anything that night you treasure so much. He still hasn't shared why his is unable to let go of the past. As for the Hyuuga… well, she holds secrets even she is unaware of. An intricate game is being woven around her, and it shall be interesting to watch it unfold."**

"Wh-What game? What are you talking about?"

" **I told you before. I can see things you could not possibly see. I can _sense_ the factors at work here. She is at the center of something bigger than she could possibly imagine. It involves the Uchiha, you, ... and even me. To what extent, even I don't know; however, I am ****_very_** **curious to see what he has planned."**

Naruto was left speechless as the Kyuubi drew his speech to a close.

" **Now, I believe you came here for a reason. To be fair, I might as well pay a tribute to my humble host."**

Naruto grew wary as red chakra began seeping through the bars of the cage, and before he could move it rushed forward and engulfed him. He fought as his body was restrained by the red glow, but could do nothing as the chakra began pouring through his system.

It was exhilarating. He had only felt power like this once before, but he had been too crazed to truly remember it.

" **Take this gift and remember, we will be in touch. Good luck not skewering yourself on your fall down. Now get out."**

* * *

 **Author's Notes (Both Important):**

 *****I am going to take a suggestion from the last chapter's reviews and try something new. For the next few chapters, I am not going to reply to reviews in the chapter itself. Instead, I will answer any question in a review through a PM. Now, I am willing to try this, but for this system to work, I would prefer it if you didn't just PM your questions directly. Posting your questions/thoughts as a review helps the story grow more popular, and it always excites me to see another review in my email. I'm willing to test this out, so we will see how it goes. Thank you.**

 ********* If you guys haven't noticed, the cover image for the story has been updated. I want to send a very special thank you to one of my bests friends who commissioned the image for my birthday. All credit goes to KirariBOOM. Here is your first visual look at Kitsune (*NOTE: it depicts him at age 17, which is the age he'll be in his Gaiden story). He came out a bit more like Boruto than I imagined, but I still really dig it. Now, before I'm bombarded by questions and ideas,** **remember the lesson of the very first chapter: never assume.** **Anyways, I'm still planning on using this as the cover of his Gaiden story, but I wanted to share it with you all now. Enjoy. ^^**


	44. Chapter 44: The Finals (Prelude)

Chapter 44: The Finals (Prelude)

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Smoke exploded upward, rocketing past the lone observer's face. He couldn't help but smirk as he stared down into the chasm. Even in the dark, he recognized that massive shape anywhere.

"Not bad, kid," he whispered.

" **What the…Where the hell am I? JIRAIYAAA**!" a guttural voice boomed, echoing off the rock walls.

 _'And that's my cue to leave,'_ Jiraiya thought as he turned and began jogging into the woods. After he was about 50 yards into the tree line, he slowed down to a walk as he felt the massive creature slam onto the ground.

' _Have fun brat,'_ he snickered as he began making his way to the village. He had little doubt the old toad would warm up to the abrasive brat… given time of course.

After several minutes, he felt the shockwaves of the toad as he bounded off. Jiraiya could almost make out the faint screams of the blonde as he presumably held on for dear life.

Jiraiya couldn't help but chuckle as he made a mental note to add a similar event to one of his future novels. His thoughts wandered back to the boy's progress. To be honest, they were practically done with everything he had set out for him. The boy had flown through the taijutsu training, and his only real difficulties had laid in the rasengan, which was to be expected.

Still, the boy almost had it down. He was sure the brat would at least be able to perform it in his own way in the week they had left together.

Jiraiya's eyes hardened and he grew more somber as he trudged through the underbrush.

One week left…

If his sources were correct, the boy would have more than just a few aspiring genin to contend with. He hoped he was wrong, but he didn't get this far in his career by hoping his enemies would be lenient.

* * *

 _5 Days Until the Finals…_

Neji took another deep breath as he sat meditating in the shade.

 _'Defeating Haruno shouldn't prove too difficult. Despite her impressive skill in genjutsu, without it, she should be of little challenge. Of course, she has had a month to prepare something else to counter my byakugan, so that shall be my first objective.'_

Neji exhaled as the images of his next possible opponents entered his mind.

' _The genin from Kumo could definitely be a challenge. Based on his short actions from the preliminaries, it seems he is more taijutsu oriented. This works in my favor and will force him to draw close. Based on my experience with Lee, I am confident I will be able to keep up with him and disable his movements.'_

He felt his brow twitch as the blonde entered his mind.

' _And of course Uzumaki… His knowledge of fuinjutsu makes him a very unpredictable opponent. Thankfully, I can keep track of his meddlesome seals with my byakugan, but I am going to need to cautious when he draws close.'_

Memories of the blonde's match with Lee flashed through his mind.

' _In either case, speed is going to be imperative.'_

"NEJI! I am warmed up, my rival! I am ready to begin whenever you are!"

Neji cracked open his eyes and stared across the field at Lee, who was bouncing on his toes with a smile stretching ear-to-ear.

Neji nodded and grunted as he rose to his feet. As he made his way across the green, he rubbed at the weights attached to his wrists.

' _I'll give Lee this, it's impressive that he manages to go about every day these infernal things on and perform as well as he does.'_

Gai stood off to the side, and lightly smiled as he watched the two bow and slide into their respective stances. He had overjoyed when the normally reserved boy had come to him right after the preliminaries ended. He had just one request: help make him faster, which Gai was more than happy to do.

They had set to work immediately. Day in and day out, Neji forced himself to take on more and more weight. The boy was already blisteringly swift, but now he was almost a blur. With only five days left until the exam, Gai had refused when Neji had requested to increase his weight yet again. For now, he just had to grow accustomed to the weight he had already worked with.

Neji wasn't the only one who was improving. About a week after the preliminaries, Lee had finally been released from the hospital and had insisted on joining them. After his loss to Naruto, Lee had thrown himself back into his training with renewed vigor. He had rather vocally requested to double his current weight limit, and Gai had shed tears of joy at the boy's determination.

It was a solid month of improvement for both of them. He watched the two collide and begin their daily sparring with a content smile. No matter the results of the finals, all of his students were chunin material in his eyes.

* * *

 _Day Before the Finals…_

' _Okay. Here we go,'_ Hinata sighed to herself as she made her way through the bustling streets of the village.

After an agonizing month, tomorrow was the big day they'd all been preparing for.

The day where she would see if all of her blood, sweat, and tears had been worth it.

The day where she would represent the main house with everyone in the village watching her.

No pressure.

Honestly, she'd feel slightly better if she were allowed to hide behind her usual, bulky jacket, but her father had refused. Since she was representing the clan, he had required her to change her outfit.

It was actually very comfortable and fit her well, but she still felt a bit awkward without the usual weight of her hoodie. Due to her status, she had been given a modified version of the Hyuuga's combat jacket; similar to the one her cousin wore. Unlike him, she had the front of the jacket unbuckled and wore her navy training pants underneath. All in all, it made her lighter and faster, if a bit more exposed.

She checked her basket one last time to make sure she had everything. As Kakashi had instructed, today was the day everyone was going to get back together again after their grueling training. Since she knew they were planning on discussing their plans for the upcoming matches, she had thought ahead to make everyone a lunch.

Tomato salad for Sasuke, and, of course, ramen for Naruto, with a few more veggies than normal hidden within. He could be such a picky eater.

Speaking of whom, as she turned the corner, she found none other than the blonde himself walking out of a store. He had changed his clothes since the last time she saw him. While she was a little disappointed to see he was no longer wearing the clothes she had given him, she had to admit he did look handsome.

With a light blush, she began jogging up to him.

"Naruto-kun! Over here!"

He spun around and sent her one of his signature grins, as she ran up to him.

"Hey Hinata-chan! It's great to see you!" he chuckled. As she finally stopped in front of him, he froze and squinted his eyes.

"Naruto-kun? What's wrong?" she asked hesitatingly.

Without a word, he placed a hand on his chin and began circling around her.

"Ah…Naruto-kun?" she giggled as he went around and around almost like a curious puppy.

Eventually he stopped and stood right in front of her, staring right at her face.

She felt her blush returning as he stared directly deep into her eyes. She instinctually wanted to break eye contact, but fought as hard as she could to stand still.

"…you changed your outfit… and your hair is longer," he noted as he slouched into a thinking pose.

"It is?" she asked genuinely surprised as she brushed a dangling thread out from her face. She truly hadn't noticed. She had just been so busy with her training that her hair had been rather low on her priority list.

"Hmm. It's different… but it works for you. You look nice," he bluntly followed up with a smile.

"O-oh, thank you. You don't look too bad yourself."

"Think so?" Naruto asked as he pulled at his shirt, "I didn't like it, but Iruka-sensei said I needed a new set of clothes. After all of the stress from Haku, Bushy-Brows, and Ero-Sennin's training, my old clothes were just too worn out. I had sewn them back together so many times there was barely any of the original thread left. What do you think? I don't look too much like Kakashi-sensei do I?"

Indeed, he almost did. Naruto had exchanged his navy hoodie for the standard, navy uniform most chunin and jounin wore. All he was missing was the flak jacket, though that could change within the next 24 hours.

She giggled and replied, "All you're missing are the jacket and mask."

He chuckled and began rolling up his sleeves as he began to grow a little hot. As Hinata watched him, she grew alarmed as she noticed the red stained bandages wrapped around his hands.

"What have you done now?" she asked, setting down her basket and yanking his hands towards her.

He tried to protest, but she quickly shushed him and unwound his bandages. She felt her heart soften as she inspected the eviscerated state of his hands. She quickly ran through a few hands seals causing her hands to glow green. She carefully took his palm into her hands as she began healing the scar damage.

"What were you doing this time?" she fussed as the scars began to fade away.

He nervously chuckled and rubbed the back of his head with his free hand.

"Hehe. Sorry Hinata-chan, but I can't tell ya. It's a surprise for tomorrow."

"A surprise?" she asked as she finished the first hand, and began to work on the other.

"Oh yeah! Trust me, it's going to knock everyone in the stadium flat on their face. Just you wait. Even Sasuke-teme is going to be left speechless."

She wanted to pry more, but she could tell by that look in his eye that he wouldn't bulge. She huffed and finished up her work, before carefully inspecting his hands. She ran a finger along his palm to make sure there was no lingering scar tissue, and she was happy to see most of the traces gone.

"Alright that should do it," she sighed, taking a step back.

Naruto flexed his hands and gave her a smile.

"You're just getting better at that with every day. I can't wait to see what you and your dad cooked up for tomorrow. If this is how far your med stuff has come, I'm almost scared to see what else you've learned."

She chuckled as she turned around to pick up her basket. Naruto finally noticed her little package, and instantly went star-eyed by the sight.

"Ooo, what's that? Lunch?" he asked, licking his lips and sniffing the air.

"Yes, and it's for when we meet with Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke-kun," she chided as she held the basket away from his reach.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's not keep them waiting," he exclaimed as he grabbed her hand and began leading her through the crowd of people.

After a month apart, almost nothing had changed. Everything fell quickly fell back into place. He would rabble on a mile a minute, while she would laugh at his bad jokes and lightly chastise him when he bragged a little too much. Every now and again, the topic of their training would be brought up and they both would have to force themselves from not revealing anything. While they were very excited to share everything they had been through, there was still the possibility the two could face each other in the final match.

After about 35 minutes of walking, the distant meadow of training ground 7 came into view, and they spied the familiar form of their sensei lazily reading his book in the shade of the trees.

"Kakashi-sensei!" the both shouted as they jogged towards him.

He looked up from his book, and sent them both an eye-smile and a wave as they drew closer.

"It's great to see you Kakashi-sensei," Hinata smiled as she reached him, and gave him a tiny bow.

"Why thank you Hinata. It's lovely to see you too. You as well, Naruto," he replied as he eyed the blonde who was gazing around the clearing.

"Where's Sasuke?" he asked as he glanced back at Kakashi.

"He had to run an errand," Kakashi replied with a shrug, "He said he had to give someone something and it had to be today. Don't worry; he's as grouchy as usual. He left about 20 minutes ago, so he should be back relatively soon."

The two laughed as they settled down next to their teacher.

"Sooo, how was the desert?" Naruto asked as he leaned a little to close to Kakashi.

"What makes you think we were in the desert?" Kakashi replied as he pushed the blonde's face away with his book.

"There's still sand in your hair," Naruto replied, pointing at the man's spiky head.

"Still?" the man groaned as he gave his head another scratch, "I thought I had gotten rid of all of it after that last bath."

"So you were there! Haha!" Naruto giggled.

"How was it sensei?" Hinata chimed in.

"Hot. And that's about all you're going to get out of me," he sighed as he settled back against the tree.

"Aw, sensei you're no fun. Come on. What were you and teme up to?" Naruto whined as he leaned in towards Kakashi's face again.

"Well, I guess I can tell you this. Come closer," Kakashi whispered as Naruto leaned in on the balls of his feet.

"…stop being nosy," he drone as he flicked Naruto in the nose, setting him off balance. Naruto yelped as he lightly fell back, causing to Hinata to giggle at the pair's antics.

Naruto sent him a glare, before sighing and rolling onto his back. As he opened his eyes, he was surprised to see someone standing above him.

"Done being a idiot yet?" Sasuke droned.

Naruto yelped and jumped behind Hinata at Sasuke's sudden appearance.

Sasuke smirked and continued, "Hmph. I guess not."

"Shut the hell up!" Naruto cried, pointing a finger over Hinata's shoulder.

"It's great to see you again Sasuke-kun," Hinata calmly greeted him.

"You too. Dig the new look," Sasuke said, nodding towards her before looking Naruto up and down, "and you… look silly."

Naruto placed a hand over his mouth to stifle a giggle. "Coming from the guy in the leotard, and what is up with that hair?"

Sasuke grit his teeth as he brushed a strand out of his eyes. His hair hadn't exactly been the focus of his time. When this whole event was over he was planning on getting a haircut, but for now, he didn't have the time.

"The suit is aerodynamic. Not all of us are as naturally fast as you," he rebuffed as he placed a hand on his hip, "Or as thickheaded."

"Why you-"

"Okay. I think that's enough," Kakashi cut in as he picked himself up from the ground. "Geez. It's barely been two minutes and you're already at each other's necks."

He sighed as he cracked the kink in his neck. "Alright. Fall in."

As if someone had flipped a switch, all three genin locked up and formed a straight line without another word.

Kakashi was silent as he gazed over the three of them.

"Now then. We're finally here. When you stand on that field tomorrow, I want you to remember that you earned your place there. It wasn't by luck; it was by your skill and drive that allowed you to be there. Don't forget, you haven't just been preparing for this for the past month. This is what we have been striving for ever since our first mission outside the village. You guys have been pushed harder than any of the other teams out there, and I want you to prove it by leaving them in the dust."

He gazed down the row and made sure to make eye contact with each of them.

"Now, some of you are going to have some difficult matches ahead of you. While I'm truly confident that each of you will be able to overcome them, do not get caught up worrying about losing. Remember: even failure is an option here. Anyone who has made it this far is eligible for promotion, no matter the results of the match."

Kakashi paused as he crossed his arms.

"I don't _hope_ that you all will pass, I expect it; and so does the Hokage. You three are going to enter that arena as genin, and I'll be waiting to see all three of you leaving with a green jacket in hand. Am I clear?"

"YES SIR!" they shouted in unison.

Kakashi tried his best to hide his smile, but he couldn't help it. Teaching did have its merits, and it was moments like this that made it worth it.

"Now," he exclaimed as he clapped his hands, "with all that motivational nonsense out of the way, I think you all have deserved a day to decompress. Today, we'll just sit, relax, and discuss what we can about our plans. You boys can thank Hinata for bringing you something to eat."

"Finally!" Naruto exclaimed as he bounced on his feet as Kakashi and Hinata sat down and began passing around the food.

* * *

Across Konoha, Team 7 weren't the only ones enjoying lunch.

As they sat at a tiny café, Ko could not help but roll his eyes at the antics of his teammate.

"Jay, will you please stop harassing those poor girls. I honestly don't think you've ever been taught that it's impolite to stare."

"They don't seem to mind it," he chuckled as he winked at the blonde sitting two tables away from them.

He grinned as one sent him a kiss back, before he tumbled forward after a tap to the back of the head.

"Eyes front, Jay," the dark-skinned man grunted as he sat down beside him.

"Got it, sensei," he grumbled as he leaned back in his chair once again.

"Now, tomorrow is the big day. So I expect everyone to be paying attention and doing their jobs. Am I understood?"

"Yes sir," Ko and Ehl responded at once, while Jay murmured, "Got it."

Their sensei sent him a disapproving glare as the boy returned his gaze back at the other tables. He quickly reached his foot out and swiped out the legs of the boy's chair.

He yelped as he fell back, causing the two girls to burst out laughing.

Jay sent the man a light scowl as he got back up and sat back in his chair.

"Hardy har. Yeah, yeah. I know what to do, but why do I have to anyways? Ehl's going to be the one taking first crack at him anyways, plus he'll probably knock him out while he's at it."

"It is always important to have a back up plan. If Ehl looses, it will be up to you to keep a close eye on the objective."

"Got it," Jay droned and gave a thumbs up, before sighing and leaning back with his hands behind his head.

"It wasn't like it was too hard to identify the guy. The village practically screamed it at us through their behavior."

"In any case, we are here to make sure. If we're right, it will confirm the Raikage's suspicions," the jounin whispered before he took a sip of his drink. He gazed upon his participating students and sighed.

"While I know this is a mission, don't forget to enjoy yourselves a bit out there. Good luck to you both," he shrugged as he raised his drink in a toast.

"And may the best man win," Jay winked at Ehl, who rolled his eyes, before clanging his glass in the circle.

* * *

"… and then the old pervert kicked me into a dam canyon!" Naruto shouted as he waved his chopsticks around, much to the amusement of his team.

"Well, it certainly sounds like you had a fun time," Sasuke smirked as he took another bite of his salad.

"That's one way of putting it," Naruto grumbled as he rested his head against his hand.

"So, what about you, teme? What were you and sensei doing?"

Kakashi and Sasuke seemed to share a glance, before Sasuke actually smiled.

"Well, we certainly put your gift to good use. Besides that, well…"

He took another bite before turning to him and saying, "You'll just have to wait and see."

"Awww, come one," Naruto whined, causing Kakashi and Hinata to chuckle, "Can't you tell us anything."

Sasuke shook his head, as he said, "Just wait and you'll see it tomorrow. It's a secret."

Sasuke was surprised when Naruto simply froze and slowly lowered his chopsticks from his mouth. He remained uncharacteristically still as he stared off into the distance.

Hinata grew worried and tugged at his shirt.

"Naruto-kun? Are you all right?"

Naruto seemed to flinch and weakly chuckle as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Hehe. S-sorry guys. Kind of zoned out there."

"Is everything alright?" Kakashi asked as he eyed Naruto.

"Huh? O-oh yeah. I'm fine. Just thinking about something. I'm good. So…uh… Hinata-chan! How was training with your dad?"

"Oh, well it was rather interesting really," she began as she began discussing her time with her father.

As she continued, Kakashi only paid partial attention as he watched Naruto. Something Sasuke said had clearly bothered him. Sometimes he wished he were a Yamanaka just so he could tell what was going on in people's heads.

While he listened to Hinata recall her training, Naruto's mind could not help but drift to his conversation several days earlier. Even as he tried to shove the words out of his mind, the Kyuubi's voice echoed off the walls of his mind.

 **"** **As I recall, the Uchiha was the only one who refrained from sharing anything that night you treasure so much. He still hasn't shared why his is unable to let go of the past. As for the Hyuuga… well, she holds secrets even she is unaware of** **."**

* * *

 _The Next Day…_

"Hurry up Hanabi! We're going to miss the first match at your pace!"

"And I said hold on a moment, Konohamaru! You almost made me drop the popcorn!" Hanabi shouted as she bustled behind him.

The pair ran through the crowd of people, heading towards the VIP section. Nobles, clan heads, and dignitaries alike were granted access to the luxurious levels of the stadium.

As she glanced at a pair of children running past her, Ria began to feel a little out of place. Well, more than a little. Most of the people surrounding her had homes that were nearly twenty times the size of her apartment.

Sure the decorum was grand, but she was having a hard time truly appreciating it, as she tried to keep up with her brother who was storming ahead through the crowd of VIPs.

"Wow…" Tai whispered as he came out of the walkway and gazed out over the massive arena.

"This is so awesome!" he exclaimed as he began walking down the aisle to his right.

While his eyes combed over the trees and grass, he failed to pay attention to where he was heading, and fell flat on his rump after colliding straight into the back of a man's legs.

"Oops. Sorry sir," he blushed as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Oh, that's quite alright," the man smiled as he offered his hand to lift the boy up.

"I'm terribly sorry, sir. He just got away from me," Ria apologized as she ran up behind them and grabbed her brother's hand.

"It's fine. No harm no foul. I can tell the boy's just excited is all," the man said as he waved her off.

She gave him a grateful smile as she began leading the two of them towards their seats.

"Hey Yoshio! Over here!" a voice called off to his left.

The man turned and smiled as he caught sight of his friend.

"Inoichi! Glad I finally found you!"

He made his way down the aisle until he was finally next to the blonde man and the woman sitting next to him.

"And I take it you are Noriko Yamanaka? It is a pleasure to finally meet you," he smiled as he shook hands with the lady.

"Indeed. It is a pleasure to finally meet you as well."

"Splendid. Where's Ino? I thought she'd be sitting with you," Yoshio asked as the three of them settled into their chairs.

"Oh, she didn't want to sit with her ' _lame'_ parents. She's off with her friends and sensei."

Yoshio nodded and began gazing around the stadium. He had to give Konoha credit. The place certainly was impressive. As he looked around, he finally spied the Kage's box three windows blocks down from them. He could just barely make out the signature shape of their hats as the two kages shook hands.

* * *

"Welcome to Konoha, Kazekage. I hope your travel here was uneventful."

"Thankfully it was. I must say, the weather in the Land of Fire made the trip quite enjoyable," the Kazekage replied in his gruff voice.

Ten minutes after the two settled into their seats, Kitsune shunshined into the room and took his place beside the Hokage.

"The ANBU are in place and ready to take action if necessary," he leaned in and whispered, "They will move at the slightest sign of trouble."

The Hokage nodded and folded his hands as he gazed down at the arena.

"No trouble I hope," the Kazekage asked.

"None at all," the Sandaie smiled, "I was just informed that we are all set to go. We should be ready to begin shortly."

* * *

"Hey Chouji, can you pass th-WHAT THE HELL MAN?" Kiba exclaimed as he snatched the bag of popcorn away from the Akimichi.

"Dude! You've eaten almost the entire bag. Come on," he complained as Akamaru barked at the large boy.

"Sorry Kiba. You know I just get so hungry. Here, want some chocolate?" Chouji offered as he lifted a box out of his bag of snacks.

"Fine, I guess. Thanks," Kiba sighed as he took the box.

"You know since you ate it all, you're going to have to go get some more in between the fights," Ino said as she glared at Chouji.

"You're going to trust him with the food? He's just going to eat it all again!" Kiba exclaimed.

"Hey, I wouldn't eat all of it…well, not most of it, anyway," Chouji chuckled, before wincing under Ino's gaze.

"Pardon me."

They turned their heads to see a dark skinned boy with crutches standing at the end of their aisle.

"Hey, I remember you from the chunin exams. You were from Kumo right?" Kiba asked.

"Indeed," he replied with a boy as he bowed, "My name is Ko. It is pleasant to meet you again. I was wondering if I could join you. I would rather sit with people I can actually discuss the matches with. Civilians will be just to troublesome to stand if I have to explain every little thing."

"Sure thing. Pop a squat," Choujia exclaimed through a mouthful of food.

"Much appreciated," the boy replied as he made his way towards them.

"How is your leg doing?" Ino asked as the boy settled into his chair, next to Chouji.

"Better. I don't know if you all heard, but I had a rather nasty run in with a porcupine during the second exam. I don't know what kind of creatures you're keeping in that forest, but let's just say the process of removing barbed needles was not a pleasant one."

Everyone flinched as they tried to suppress that gruesome image.

"Jeez. That really sucks," Kiba whistled.

"More than you can imagine," Ko weakly chuckled.

"Well, I hope you get better so-"

"LOOK! There they are!" Ino cut him off as she pointed at the entrance of the field.

* * *

The whole stadium roared in applause as the twelve competitors made their way to the center of the field.

Hinata smiled as she watched Naruto soak it all in. To say the least, he was taking the applause in stride. He couldn't help but giggle as he waved at the legions of people all shouting in support.

It wasn't everyday that his arrival was met with showering applause.

As she gazed throughout the crowd, she scanned the VIP section and found easily found her father sitting with the elders of her clan. Today, she was going to prove herself to all of them.

Not just to show them that they were wrong about her, but to prove it to herself.

"Alright. If I may have everyone's attention," Genma called out, as the applause from the crowd began to die down.

"Good. I'd like to welcome everyone to the final round of the chunin examinations. Now, like the preliminaries, same rules apply. While killing and maiming are not against the rules, they are highly frowned upon and will be taken into consideration towards your promotion. If, at any time, I deem that you are unable to continue, the match will be decided immediately. Let me make myself clear: when I say it's over, it's over. Got it?"

He seemed to linger his gaze on Gaara longer than the others, before he continued.

"Alright. Now, the same line-ups still apply. First up, Naruto Uzumaki and Ehl Honda. The rest of you, please make your way towards the observation balcony. Thank you."

"Do your best, Naruto-kun," Hinata smiled as the rest of the contestants made their way across the field.

"Hey dobe," Sasuke whispered as he caught Naruto's shoulder.

"I want to fight you in the final match. So don't you dare lose here."

Naruto smiled as he watched his two teammates make their way behind the others. With a deep breath, he turned to face the white haired boy standing across the field. He watched as the boy had a few short words with his teammate before he jogged after Sasuke and Hinata.

Naruto flashed him a grin, as he settled into his stance.

 _'And here we go.'_

"If both contestants are ready. Then let the tournament begin," Genma said lowering his hand.

Barely half a second later, the sound of a loud thwack echoed across the walls of the arena, followed by a deep gasp from the audience.

The finals had officially begun.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **AND WE ARE** **FINALLY** **HERE! God, this has taken forever, but we've made it. The chunin exams started like, what, 14 chapters ago? Well… (ahem) what matters is that we're here now. Just like with the Wave Arc, we've all been through this routine before. I hope the new matchups spice things up for you guys. (Man, we're about to have like 8 action chapters in a row aren't we?)**

 **Regarding Hinata's new look, I have made a picture of it and left it on my imgur. Since fanfiction doesn't let you leave urls in stories (for some reason) plug this at the end of the site's usual url:(** /I4cj5e7)

 **Next time: Naruto vs Ehl**


	45. Chapter 45: The Finals (Part 1)

Chapter 45: The Finals (Part 1)

"If both contestants are ready, then let the tournament begin," Genma shouted with a wave of his hand.

There was a bright flash, and barely half a second later, the sound of a loud thwack echoed across the walls of the arena.

A unanimous gasp erupted throughout the audience, who were taken back by the boy's incredible speed.

In the arena, Ehl was just as surprised as they were. Unlike his opponent in the preliminaries, who had been sent flying back, Naruto stood upright with his arms crossed in front of his face.

 _'He was barely moved five feet,'_ Ehl thought, glaring at the blonde.

"Oh well," Naruto coyly smirked as he lowered his arms and rushed the boy.

Ehl was quick to recover, and easily blocked the incoming blows. As they traded hits, Naruto was pleased to discover the boy moving at a considerably slower pace.

Ehl ducked under Naruto's latest swing and bent low to the ground. His eyes narrowed as a spark of electricity danced across his skin. He bent his knees and pushed off as hard as he could. In the blink of an eye, his fist launched forward faster than Naruto could see and slammed into his stomach, only to clang off once again.

It did seem to have more of an effect this time. Naruto grunted as he was propelled back several feet and slid across the grass. As he flew, he reached into his pouch and launched a barrage of kunai at his opponent.

Ehl easily dodged out of the way, and jumped back as he noticed a tag attached to one of the handles.

The explosion went off, kicking up mounds of dirt in its path. Ehl rode the wave of the force as he back flipped through the air and slid to a halt.

As he came to a stop, he spied Naruto through the smoke as he quickly lifted up his sleeve and seemed to tear something off his skin.

Naruto winced as he watched the tag burn away into dust, but quickly slapped another tag onto his wrist.

' _Density seals working like a charm… so far,"_ Naruto thought to himself as he glanced back at his opponent. While it had served its intended purpose, he had hoped it would have lasted a little longer. Density seals were just too unstable to last over an extended period of time.

" _Well, one down, six to go,"_ Naruto muttered as he slid back into his stance.

Ehl was silent as he studied the blonde boy before him. After a minute, he lightly smiled and started to slouch.

"Not too bad. Not many people have been able to stop my attack right off the bat, but I have to wonder… How many density seals do you have left?"

Naruto shot him a surprised look. He had never pegged the guy as the fuinjutsu type.

"You know fuinjutsu?"

"I have some experience, but nothing near your level," Ehl replied as he straightened his back. Naruto's body tensed as electricity began sparking across the Ehl's skin.

"However, if that's how you want to play it, fine. Long range it is," Ehl coldly stated as he quickly began racing through seals faster than Naruto could keep track of. Strands of electricity cascaded off his body as a loud humming sound began filling the stadium.

Naruto began funneling chakra into his legs as the other boy slowly began raising his hands. Ehl's eyes shot open and he snapped his fingers. Instantly, arcs of lighting raced out of his arm toward the blonde.

Naruto yelped and pushed as much chakra into his jump as he could as he dove off to the side. As he rolled on the ground and began getting up, he heard another snap, and quickly bent backwards as a bolt soared over his head.

Ehl was not giving him any breathing room. One after another, he sent stream after stream of lightning rocketing towards his opponent. It was honestly all Naruto could do to weave in between the stream of white light.

Ehl narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms in an X. He slashed outward and snapped, sending a giant 'X' shaped bolt of lighting towards his opponent.

Naruto landed on his feet and quickly ducked to the ground, avoiding the attack through the empty space at the bottom. As it soared over his head, his eyes widened as Ehl appeared right in front of his face.

In the split second he had, his mind practically shouted, ' _ACTIVATE!'_ as the punch connected with his chest.

Although the seal's effect absorbed most of the impact, he was still sent flying backwards across the field.

He slammed into the arena wall causing a massive crack along the stone. He grunted as he pushed himself out from the wall. The blow may not have damaged his body, but that didn't mean he didn't feel it. He had realized the biggest problem fighting Ehl wasn't going to be keeping up with his speed, but rather withstanding his blows. During the preliminaries, it hadn't been the punch that knocked out the Waterfall shinobi, but the concussion from his impact against the wall. He had realized that if he was going to be able to last in a prolonged fight, his body was going to need to be able to handle the punishment.

Ehl let out a heavy breath as he leaned on his knees.

" _One, two, three…"_ he muttered under his breath.

Naruto hastily ripped off the tag and slapped on another one, as he spied Ehl getting back up. His eyes widened as Ehl started to lean forward, and he quickly leapt out of the way as Ehl sped past him and slammed his fist into the wall.

Ehl backhand swung at him with his other fist, while he tore his fist from the wall. Naruto leapt back, and began backpedalling up the wall as Ehl chased after him.

The audience let out an excited murmur as the two genin took their fight vertically along the walls of the arena.

Naruto bobbed and weaved, dancing backwards along the wall with Ehl quickly behind him. Naruto's eyes flashed as Ehl overextended one of his punches. He focused chakra to his palm as he reached out to tap Ehl's forearm.

' _Let's see you move that fast now,'_ he confidently thought as he prepared to apply a gravity seal. Just before he made contact with Ehl's arm, Naruto yelped and reflexively yanked his arm back, as a spark jumped up and shocked him. He glanced up at Ehl, who gave him the tiniest of smirks before continuing his assault.

' _Okay. Maybe Neji wasn't the biggest priority,'_ he sweat as he blocked a rather painful kick to his side. His breathe hitched as he saw sparks dancing across his cocked fist. He leaned backwards as Ehl snapped, and lighting raced right across the tip of his face.

' _This guy's intense! I barely have time to think, let alone do anything,'_ he winced as he glanced back at his opponent. Naruto paused as he caught sight of his face. He hadn't noticed it before, but, while Ehl's scarf was blowing in the wind, he was able to glimpse seemingly muttering under his breath.

A second later, Ehl's eyes narrowed, and Naruto's instincts kicked in again. He barely activated his seal in time before Ehl's fist slammed into him, sending him flying back against the wall. Naruto bounced against the concrete before rolling along the curvature of the as he slid towards the ground.

Ehl's momentum carried him along his trajectory, causing him to slide against the wall past his opponent.

Naruto stumbled to his feet as he tried to regain his orientation. Though slightly dazed, he ripped off the seal and slapped another one on.

' _4 left,'_ he thought as he grit his teeth.

He pulled a twig from his hair as he watched Ehl leap off the wall and roll onto the ground.

 _'Great. This is Bushy-Brows all over again, except now I can't even place a seal on him,'_ he grumbled to himself.

As Ehl stood back up, Naruto paused as he noticed something. He was doing it again. He watched in fascination, as Ehl seemed to be bobbing his head, almost as if he was…

His eyes widened as it finally came to him.

' _He's counting something. He must have a cool down period in between his bursts of speed!'_

It wasn't much, but it was something and he could definitely work with that.

Ehl paused as he noticed a grin begin to spread across the blonde's face. He had seen that same look, when the boy had trapped the other genin inside that cube. He stood his ground as the blonde raised his hands in a familiar hand sign.

"Kage bunshin no jutsu!" he screamed as a fourth of the arena went up in white smoke.

The civilians in the audience let out a mixture of excited gasps and groans as the field suddenly became swarmed with a mob of the local troublemaker.

' _I can't let the original disappear!'_ Ehl thought as he quickly shot off another chain of lightning.

Naruto stood his ground and smiled as random clones around the arena slammed their hands to the ground. Ehl watched in surprise as just before his attack hit the blonde, it took a ninety-degree turn and shot off towards the crowd of clones. The lightning slammed into the ground at one of the clone's feet, revealing a glowing white symbol as it disappeared.

' _I was wondering when you were going to break those out,'_ Kakashi thought as he leaned forward in his seat. So far the boy had only been on the defense, he was interested to see what he would do now that he had room to breathe.

' _Let's see what creative idea you'll have this time.'_

"You like it?" Naruto called across the field, "I'm proud to introduce you to one of my early inventions: the lightning rod seal. Guaranteed to redirect any projectile raiton jutsu."

Ehl smirked as he watched the seal fade from white to black. The kid was clever; he'd give him that.

"Well played, but do you have anything else new? Or are you simply going to hide behind your horde of clones like before?"

Naruto gave him a shrug. "Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. You know I played this speed game before with Bushy Brows, but, unlike you, he was _much_ faster and…"

Ehl raised an eyebrow as Naruto pointed a finger at him.

"He didn't have to take a break between each attack," he finished with a smirk.

Ehl went silent for a few seconds before lightly chuckling.

"You are more observant than people believe. If I may ask, what gave it away?"

"Tiny movements here and there. You would nod your head, plus sometimes you muttered it under your breath."

Ehl seemed uncharacteristically embarrassed as he rubbed his head.

' _Sensei was right. I slipped up while I wasn't focused.'_

"I also noticed you can only move that fast in a straight line," Naruto smirked as he substituted with another clone somewhere in the mass.

"Which makes you predictable," the clones shouted in unison.

Ehl fell silent as he gazed around the circle of clones. He was in exactly the same situation Lee was in during the preliminaries. A prolonged fight would be disastrous. The longer it took, the more opportunities the blonde would have to slip past his guard and place a gravity seal. Focusing on exterminating all the clones wasn't exactly an option either. If the Raikage was right about him, the blonde had chakra to spare and could simply replenish the horde without losing a sweat.

 _'Well then, sensei said he wanted the boy tested. Let's take things up a notch,'_ he smirked as he began unraveling his scarf, drawing confusion from the blonde.

"You are amusing, Naruto Uzumaki. Very amusing," he said as he began unbuckling his jacket revealing a sleeveless undershirt. As he dropped it to the ground, Naruto narrowed his eyes as he examined the dark tattoos etched across Ehl's shoulder.

"Let's have some real fun."

* * *

"What is that, sensei?" Ino asked as she stared at the intricate pattern.

"That… is one of the Raikage's Inheritance Seals," Asuma replied as he took another puff of his cigarette, "That kid must be something else."

"What's so special about them?" Kiba turned around to ask.

"Well, as you may know from Naruto, fuinjutsu is a very intricate field of study. The possibilities are almost limitless, but it requires an intensive amount of time and knowledge to accomplish even the most menial of tasks. While the Yondaime is rightfully considered one of the greatest fuinjutsu users the world has seen, Konoha has little else to brag about, in that department. As of right now, Kumo is without a doubt the most adept nation in the art. Due to sitting out of the last few wars, they have had plenty of time to explore the various fields without interruption. Their work in fuinjutsu is astonishing," Kakashi replied as he sat forward, gazing at Ehl clap his hands together.

He turned his eye down at the genin below him and continued. "The past Raikages have taken a particular interest in fuinjutsu and have created special seals that are only granted to those they deem worthy, such as the infamous Black Lightning mark. I can only think of one person with that tattoo, but regarding this one, I don't recognize it," he finished as his eye shifted to Ko.

"Your thoughts?" he asked.

"That is the Raigake's Generator seal," Ko spoke, drawing everyone's attention, "My teammate was raised as an orphan, and had plenty of time to wander the city as a child. From what I've been told, one day he snuck onto the Raikage's property and spied on him and his brother as they trained. For years, he watched and he learned, but his biggest focus was attempting to copy the technique that grants the Raikage his renowned speed. One day, as the Raikage was touring our academy, he stopped to observe a sparring session and discovered what Ehl had been trying to accomplish. When questioned by the man, Ehl was forced to reveal everything. Instead of punishing him, he was commended for his talent. Of course, Ehl can't use the complete version of the technique. As your friend pointed out, he can only do it in short bursts due to the amount of chakra it requires."

"Which is why," he smiled, turning to face them, "The Raikage gave him a tool to surpass that limitation."

* * *

Naruto's eyes widened as he recognized the fuinjutsu patterns along the tattoo. The clones grew tense as the seal began glowing white and a loud hum began filling the air. The hairs on their arms began to rise as lighting began sparking off his body in every direction.

Ehl's eyes were glowing blue as a layer of chakra settled over his body. He cracked his neck and glared into the horde of clones. In the blink of an eye, he was gone, followed by several loud pops as he began dismantling the clones one-by-one.

'This really is Bushy Brows all over again,' Naruto sweat as he danced around the crowd of clones, observing the chaos. From this far, away he could actually see Ehl now. Much to his displeasure, the boy was no longer limited to just straight paths. He movements were controlled and flowing, branching from strike to strike like a bolt of lightning in slow motion.

He gulped as Ehl turned his eyes on him. Naruto jumped backwards as he came rocketing towards him. As he leapt forward, a clone came in from the side and tackled Ehl to the ground. It closed its eyes as red symbols began glowing all over his skin.

Naruto substituted away as the explosion rocked the ears of the audience. He substituted again with one of his clones hiding in the trees and squatted down, while he watched Ehl stand up from the crater. Aside from a scorched shirt, he seemed relatively unharmed.

Naruto narrowed his eyes as he observed Ehl tackle the clones once again.

' _His chakra is acting like a cloak. Not only is it granting him his speed, but it's also protecting him from external attacks_ ,' he thought as he watched another explosive tag go off without any effect.

Well, he couldn't hide forever. He needed a plan. He toyed with the idea of dismantling the seal on Ehl's shoulder, but he tossed it away. That would require getting close and having enough time to carefully examine it.

He also didn't like the idea of simply trapping him the same way he had Lee. Naruto might have been a shinobi, but he was a showman at heart. He loved to show off flashy new techniques and ideas to garner attention. Simply repeating the same trick didn't hold much appeal for him.

' _Plus he'll be expecting it_ ,' he thought as he bit at his thumb.

' _Oh, what to do? What to do_?'

He grimaced as the image of Ero-Sennin popped into his mind. He could almost hear the faint "I told you so" now.

He shook his head and started focusing simply on how Ehl moved. The way his kicked off the ground from each attack before barreling toward the next. As he watched, he was again reminded of Lee. A ghost-like vision of the green-clad boy seemed to layer over Ehl as he raced across the field.

It was just something about the way they kicked off that was so similar. They would crouch down and push off as hard as they could, before jettisoning away.

He watched as the final group of clones tried to chase Ehl towards the wall of the arena. Ehl dodged as kunai rained down on him, and ran up the concrete before jettisoning towards the small group.

As Ehl bent his knees to kick off the wall, something just clicked in Naruto's head as a new plan started forming together.

' _Thanks Bushy Brows_ ,' he thought, crossing his fingers.

* * *

As the final clone popped up in smoke, Ehl took the moment to gaze around the arena for the original. Stopping as he glared at the trees, he brought up his hands and snapped as a bolt of lighting rocketed towards the branches. Halfway along its path, it arched and raced towards the center and slammed into the blonde's lightning rod seal.

He sighed before drawing more chakra from his seal. The blonde's lightning rod was certainly beneficial for him; however, if they functioned the way he thought, it had one fatal flaw. His seals may redirect all of his attacks, but they had to store all that energy somewhere, just like a battery.

' _And like any battery,'_ he thought as he raised up his arms, ' _it can only hold so much.'_

He snapped several times, sending out streams larger than any he had released today. They shot into the sky, before inevitably curving and slamming into the multiple seals placed around the field. He maintained the connection of the beams as he pumped more and more chakra into the jutsus.

Naruto's seals began to grow brighter and brighter, as they tried to absorb as much of the energy as they could. Eventually, they just couldn't handle the pressure anymore, and one-by-one, began exploding all around the field.

Ehl nodded as he cut off the beams connected to his chakra cloak. He turned his eyes to the closest tree and fired off a blast of lightning, setting the tree ablaze.

"One down, Uzumaki. You can't hide forever," he called as he snapped again, blasting the bark apart in a shower of splinters.

"He's getting ready to move," Hinata whispered as she stared at the rich, blue outline of her teammate through her byakugan.

"He's going to have to," Sasuke whispered back, his sharingan soaking in every detail, "His tree's after this next one. What's he doing anyway?"

"He's summoned some clones with him, and it looks like he's forming chakra in his hand for something," she replied as she zoomed in.

' _Let's see what you got, dobe,'_ Sasuke thought as he leaned against the railing.

Ehl settled his eyes on the fifth tree down the line. Without a word, he raised his hand and fired off another shot.

No sooner had the lightning left his fingers, two shuriken shot out of the tree in wide arcs. The attack split down the middle as it was drawn to the two seals placed on the metal's surface.

Ehl paused as seven Narutos burst from the tree and began charging towards him at a blistering speed.

' _He's gotten even faster,'_ Sasuke remarked as he watched two clones split off from the group and begin racing along the walls.

Lightning crackled along his skin as Ehl fired off two shots towards the clones, on the wall; only to growl as they twisted away towards the seals placed on the shurikens.

Turning his attention back to the others, he was surprised to find the clones already upon him. One somersaulted over his head and quickly summoned another clone, before Ehl dispelled him with a blast point blank.

As he prepared to attack the retreating from of the clone, he cried in pain as he fell backward. The original Naruto slide kicked his legs from behind, knocking him on his back, before spinning around and racing through seals.

"Katon: Fox Hellfire!" he shouted as he let out a raging torrent of yellow flames.

Ehl winced as the fire descended upon his chakra coat, forcing him back onto the ground. His layer of chakra protected him from any major harm, but he was still forced back by the jutsu's immense heat.

Every time Ehl tried to rise to his feet, Naruto would stand directly above him and forced him down with another blast of fire. As he dealt with Ehl, his clones arrived at their positions and began racing through hand signs.

"That's enough!" Ehl shouted as he slammed his fist against the ground. The ground around him cracked under the force, sending Naruto off balance. Ehl took the momentary reprieve to jump away from the blonde's assault.

"What are you up to, Uzumaki?" he growled as he stumbled to his feet, wincing at his tender chest.

"Surprise!" Naruto smiled as he clapped his hands together and slammed his palms to the ground. At the same time, all of his clones around the arena copied his same movement.

Ehl was caught off guard as he began rising into the air. His eyes darted in every direction as a cubic, pink barrier began spanning the radius of the arena. He glanced back and forth between the clones creating the barrier, and his eyes shot up as he heard a soft clang. He gazed up to see a clone land on the roof of the barrier. It knelt down and placed its hands on the pink surface, as another clone attached itself to the bottom.

* * *

"What is Naruto up to? Is going to do that fire trick again?" Ino asked, sitting on the edge of her seat.

"Not unless he wants to barbeque himself as well," Chouji pointed out as he raced through another pack of chips.

' _Indeed,'_ Kakashi thought as he raised his headband over his left eye, revealing the three tomoes of the sharingan, ' _Naruto isn't the type to pull the same trick twice. Besides, I nailed that into them during week six. What have you come up with now?'_

* * *

Ehl quietly eyed the barrier as Naruto stood up and gave him a smile.

"Alright!" he screamed as he stretched is arms, "I think we've been playing by your rules long enough. Now it's my turn. Let's go!"

With that, he began racing towards him at a breakneck speed. Ehl settled into his taijutsu stance, content to let Naruto come to him.

When he was 10 feet away, the Naruto on the roof smirked and twisted his hand to the right.

Naruto smirked as he ran and jumped into the air. Ehl prepared to block him, when the strangest feeling rushed over him. Suddenly, his world turned upside down as he was suddenly racing upwards into the air. He grunted as Naruto slammed a kick into him in midair, sending him flying in an arc.

Naruto twisted and landed on his feet as Ehl slammed against the roof of the cube.

The audience gasped in excitement as the two stood upside down against the roof of the barrier.

As Ehl struggled to his feet, Naruto leapt off the roof and landed against the side of the cube. He attached his chakra to the wall as he gazed up at Ehl, who had finally managed to stand up.

He smirked and wiggled his finger to come and get him.

Ehl glared at him as he bent down to kick off the roof, his electric cloak flaring. Just as he prepared to jump off, the clone on the wall opposite of Naruto twisted his hand to the right.

Ehl pushed off the wall and raced towards Naruto. He got about halfway across the cube, before slowing down and racing towards the opposite wall. He slammed against the pink barrier and cried out as he bounced against the surface. He struggled against the immense force as he tried to crawl to his feet, and froze as a kunai landed a foot away from his face. He covered his head as heard the sizzle, but could do nothing as the tag went off sending him rolling away.

Naruto smirked as he nodded at the clone under the bottom of the cube. It nodded and twisted his hand, causing Ehl to fall from the right wall towards the ground.

Ehl slid against the wall, forcing his chakra to stick as he slowed to a stop. He panted as he glared at Naruto across the field. The blonde simply smiled and waved at him.

Lightning sparked across Ehl's face, as he launched himself off the wall.

* * *

"What's he doing? I don't get it," Kiba asked as he watched Ehl chase after Naruto around the cube, "I mean that thing is cool and all, but what is it accomplishing?"

"Gravity seals," Kurenai replied, so entranced with the match that she mad momentarily forgotten about the disgusting smell of Asuma's cigarette.

"Naruto is changing the center of gravity between each face of the wall. Every time Ehl moves, Naruto makes sure he's attached to a wall before changing the gravity. By doing this, he not only just slapping Ehl around, he's keeping him away from him. What I just don't understand is what his endgame is here."

Kakashi was thinking the same thing. He watched as Ehl raced after Naruto once again. Now that he'd caught on not the jump, the boy streaked up the wall in a blur of white as he tore after the boy. Naruto ran as fast as he could and attached his fingers to the roof, just before the clones switched up the gravity again.

Ehl slowed down as he tried his best to keep his feet connected to the wall. He eventually had to place his hands down as well as he fought against the immense pull of the bottom floor. Eventually, he began sliding down the wall as he desperately tried to simply fall to the ground.

 _'Naruto has done all right evading him so far, but what will he do when Ehl finally catches him?'_ Kakashi thought as he gazed at Naruto's strained face.

He tried as hard as he could to fight against the pull of gravity, but the chakra from his fingertips just couldn't hold out against the weight. His connection failed and he began racing towards the ground. The clones immediately tried to compensate, and adjusted to gravity in another direction.

As soon as the pressure lifted, Ehl's eyes shot open as he continued racing up the wall. He knelt and pushed off against the wall, rocketing towards Naruto.

He collided with the boy and sent him flying against the wall. Naruto's eyes widened as the wind was knocked from his chest. As he stumbled to place another density seal, Ehl landed next to him and kicked him away. Instantly, he knelt down and connected himelf to the floor as the clones changed the gravity to try and help the original. As Naruto sailed away, Ehl launched himself again and collided with the boy mid air.

This time Ehl grabbed him by the throat as they tumbled through the air towards the ceiling. Naruto gargled as he brought his hands together. Ehl heard a puff of smoke behind him, and growled as a clone caught him in a headlock.

He released the original and grabbed the clone by the head. He threw him forward and blasted it away with a snap of lightning.

As he landed on the roof, he spied Naruto midair falling towards the ground.

' _It's time,'_ Naruto thought as he reached into his pouch. Stringing wire through the center, he tossed two shuriken downwards towards a tree, whose branches were barely tipping out from the bottom of the barrier. As the shuriken sailed past, Naruto tugged on the wire, causing the shuriken to wrap around and dig into the bark.

Ehl felt a tug in his gut as the gravity was shifted upwards once again.

' _Oh this is going to hurt like a bitch,'_ Naruto thought as he wrapped the wire around his hand, and began falling towards the roof of the building. He cried out as the wire cut into his skin, leaving deep gashes in his palm.

He grit his teeth and glanced up at Ehl, who was kneeling against the roof. As they stared into each other's eyes, Ehl saw something that made him pause.

He didn't see any hesitation or fear. All he saw was confidence.

"Checkmate," Naruto smirked as he launched a kunai at the boy.

Ehl's eyes widened as he saw the tag attached to the kunai and leapt out of the way. As he jumped into the air, the clones around the barrier twisted their hands.

Ehl was flung from midair towards the right wall. Naruto grit his teeth as he held on to the wire.

Before he drew too close, Ehl slowed down and began sailing towards the other wall. Just like before, he slowed to a stop before colliding with the wall and began falling back towards the center. Again and again the clones adjusted the force of the gravity, until Ehl floated helplessly in the center of the cube. Naruto chuckled as he watched Ehl dangle midair and fought through the pain as he began crawling his way up the wire.

* * *

"Oh, now that's clever," Asume chuckled as tossed his cigarette on the ground and stomped it out.

"What did he do? He's just floating there," Ino asked.

"Exactly," Asuma chuckled, "You see. Naruto knew he couldn't keep up with Ehl's speed, so he had to immobilize him. His opponent can't make use of his jutsu if he doesn't have a surface to kick off from."

He placed a hand on Ino's shoulder and pointed at the clones attached to the walls of the barrier.

"You see them? They are keeping the gravitational pull equivalent in every direction. That's what's keeping him suspended there."

Naruto smirked as he crawled his way through the branches and sat along the trunk of the tree. After tethering himself to the tree, he stared up at Ehl still suspended in midair.

Ehl glared down at him a he spun out of control. He reached for his pouch for a shuriken and wire, but felt his heart drop as he grasped at nothing but air.

"Looking for this?" Naruto chuckled as he tauntingly held up Ehl's pouch.

' _How did he…When did he have time to snatch that_?' Ehl thought. His eyes widened as he remembered the boy's clone grabbing him in a headlock.

' _He wanted me to catch up with him!'_ Ehl thought, before gritting his teeth and sending off another blast of lightning. Naruto reached into his pouch and launched up a shuriken. The lightning curved and chased after the kunai as it began making its rotation towards the center.

"Like I said, checkmate. Let me sum it up for you: you can't move, you can't hit me, and you can't get down."

' _He actually beat me, even when I was going all out,'_ Ehl sighed before lightly chuckling. The kid was something else.

"Well played. Very well played, Naruto Uzumaki," he called out as he and Naruto caught eyes, "Very well. I concede."

Genma nodded as he raised his hand in the air.

"Ehl Honda has forfeited the match. The winner of the first round is Naruto Uzumaki."

* * *

' _Nicely done, Naruto,'_ Kakashi chuckled as he watched Naruto help Ehl back to the ground.

' _And apparently I'm not the only one who thought so_ ,' he smiled as he glanced around him as the audience went wild.

' _So this is Sasuke's teammate,'_ Ria thought as she clapped. ' _You certainly know how to make a first impression,'_ she chuckled as she stared down at her brother who was going nuts.

He wasn't the only one. A thunderous applause echoed across the arena, as the stands went wild.

Two rows over from her, Yoshio remained quiet as he clapped his hands. As the pink barrier dissolved into the air, his eyes focused in on the blonde haired boy. Yoshio wasn't particularly fond of surprises, and this boy was certainly a surprise. He hadn't seen the boy when he had fought at the lumberyard, but apparently he was the one responsible for capturing the Zaufu.

' _Just what are you capable of?'_

' _Oh boy,_ ' Jay sighed, before cracking his neck, ' _Great. Now I have to pick up the slack. Thanks a lot, Ehl.'_ He rested a hand against the rail as he watched the two boys shake hands. The guy had done great, but he hadn't exactly shown off anything to really warrant his attention yet.

' _Let's see if the Raikage is right about you,'_ he thought as he leaned against the bar.

Down on the field, Naruto and Ehl stood across from each other as the pink barrier faded away.

"Congratulations, Uzumaki. I wish you the best of luck in your upcoming matches."

"Ah geeze, don't get all cheesy on me now," Naruto chuckled as he locked his hands behind his head.

"Just take the compliment," Ehl chuckled as he collected his clothes from the field, "You have a uphill battle ahead of you. Take what you can get."

Naruto nodded as he watched the boy tie his scarf back around his neck. "You can count on it. Neji won't know what hit him."

Ehl was quiet as he buttoned up his jacket. "I wasn't referring to the Hyuuga."

Naruto sent him a confused stare. "What do you mean?"

Ehl remained silent as he headed towards the exit, but came to a stop as he passed by him. He turned his head and whispered, "I'd worry more about the Kazekage's son if I were you. He... well, let's just say he's not natural. I believe you two are locked on a collision course whether you like it or not."

"What are you talking about?" Naruto whispered back.

"Just keep your eyes open during his match with the Uchiha. Good luck, Naruto Uzumaki. I have a feeling you are going to need it."

Without another word, Ehl continued walking towards the exit of the arena. Naruto was silent as he stared at his retreating back.

As he stood there, Naruto grew surprised as he started to notice something: cheering.

People were cheering.

For him.

A smile lit up on his face as he began waving back at the crowd. Sasuke and Hinata chuckled as he began soaking it all, making kissy faces and bowing towards the audience. He gave a mock salute towards the Hokage's box, causing the old man to chuckle.

"Very nice performance, my boy," the Hokage chuckled as he watched the blonde boy prance around the arena.

Kitsune rolled his eyes at the boy's display, and instead focused on the Kazekage. He wanted to chalk it up to his normal ANBU paranoia, but there was something about the man that was throwing him off.

The Kazekage caught sight of his glare, and simply chuckled before turning his attention back towards the arena.

 _'Hmhm. Team 7. You all are truly fascinating.'_

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Sorry for the delay. I actually meant to finish this on Friday, but some friends invited me to see a movie. I knew that if I continued to work on it afterwards, the quality of the chapter was going to suffer so I decided to wait and finish it later.**

 **Next up: Sakura vs. Neji**


	46. Chapter 46: The Finals (Part 2)

Chapter 46: The Finals (Part 2)

"Show off," Sasuke jibed, watching Naruto clamber up the concrete steps to the observatory.

"I aim to please," Naruto chuckled as he rubbed his nose and joined his team against the railing, "Honestly, what did you guys think?"

"I _think_ that you have a promising career in the circus ahead of you, if that whole Hokage thing doesn't pan out," Sasuke sneered.

"Bite me," Naruto growled before gasping and rubbing his hip.

"Are you alright?" Hinata asked leaning back.

Naruto nodded and winced, as he massaged the tender region. To be honest, Ehl's hits had been a lot more devastating than he had imagined. Even with his density seals, the force behind each punch had managed to leave a severe impact on him. As he nursed his wounds, he noticed Hinata approaching him with her hands glowing and he quickly waved her away.

"Uh-uh. Don't even think about it," he chuckled as he stepped back.

"But you're hurt," she chided as she tried to draw closer.

"Yeah, but this is still a competition. A competition that _you_ are a part of. Listen, I appreciate the thought, Hinata-chan, but you still have three rounds ahead of you. Save your chakra to heal yourself if you have to."

Hinata stopped and frowned at him as he hid behind Shikamaru.

"Don't drag me into this," he droned, before staring at the white-eyed girl.

"It's not often I say this, but Naruto's right. It may not be very Konoha-like, but this is one instance where we're supposed to look out for ourselves. Save your energy for your own matches."

Hinata was quiet as she considered his words, before the light surrounding her hands faded away.

"Fine. You're right," she sighed.

"Good," Shikamaru replied as Hinata returned to her spot against the rail.

"Thanks Shikamaru," Naruto chirped over his shoulder.

"Don't sweat it. Now get off me," he groaned as he violently shrugged the smaller boy off him.

* * *

"Well, look who it is," Kiba smirked as the group of genin turned around to see Ehl making his way down the stairs towards their row.

As Kiba opened his mouth to taunt the boy, Ehl simply glared at him as a small streak of electricity danced across his face.

Kiba wisely chose not to retort, and simply gulped before quickly turning back to face the field.

"I'm apologize sensei for my poor display," Ehl droned as he bowed to the man sitting to the right of Gai and Kakashi.

The man softly smiled and simply ruffled the boy's hair, which he knew annoyed him to no end.

"You have nothing to apologize for. It was a splendid match that served to showcase both of your skills. You should be proud."

"INDEED! YOUR TECHNIQUES AND ACTIONS BURNED WITH YOUTHFUL VIGOR!" Gai boomed, causing to Kakashi to wince in embarrassment.

Ehl seemed unbothered by the man's loud outburst and simply bowed in acknowledgement of his praise. He then made his way through the aisle and took a seat next to his teammate.

"Nicely done, Ehl," Ko commented as Ehl placed his feet on the chair in front of him.

"Hmm," was his only response as he leaned back into his seat.

' _So edgy_ ,' the genin sweat dropped as they watched him lift his scarf to cover his mouth.

Kiba was the first to break his trance as he noticed Sakura making her way onto the field alongside Neji.

"Hey, there they go. COME ONE SAKURA! KICK HIS ARROGANT ASS!" Kiba shouted, before quickly being smacked in the back of the head by Kurenai.

"Kiba. We are in public and you are representing your team. Please show some more class," she chided, her naturally red eyes accenting her glare.

"Clear as crystal," he muttered as Akamaru barked at him as well.

"I kinda feel bad for Sakura," Chouji said as he popped open another bag of chips.

"What do you mean?" Ino asked.

"It just kinda sucks that she was paired off with a Hyuuga for the first round," he replied as he began chowing down, "That byakugan of theirs makes her genjutsu kinda useless. On top of that, she's gotten better in taijutsu, but I don't see her beatin that jyuuken thingy."

"That's dojutsu for you," Kiba growled as the memories of his match with Neji painfully came to mind. Honestly, even though he truly wanted her to win, there was a part of him deep down that already knew she probably wouldn't be able to. Sakura had certainly grown the most since they became a team, and, although his alpha-male ego loathed admitting it, he knew that Sakura was probably the strongest of their team. She certainly deserved the promotion, but, like Tenten in the preliminaries, she had been dealt a bad hand.

"Having a dojutsu does not guarantee a victory," Ehl muttered, catching their attention. "The idea that they are somehow superior is one of their greatest assets and liabilities. By believing that they are better than you, you have already given up the possibility of winning. However, this intimidation is a double-sided coin, for this leads to an inflation of pride."

He paused, peeking open an eye to stare at them.

"All techniques have a weakness, even kekkai genkai. If you believe that just because she is a genjutsu wielder that she will lose, then you are a fool."

Kiba growled at the insult, but stopped as he was filled with light shame. Had he really given up on the possibility of her winning just because he had lost?

He grit his teeth as he stared down at the arena.

' _Come one, Sakura. You got this.'_

* * *

The crowd was full of excitement from the last match, as they watched the next set of competitors take their place.

"Are both competitors ready?" Genma asked glancing between the two.

"I am," Neji coldly replied. Sakura remained silent and simply nodded her head.

"Well, if both competitors are ready, then you may begin," Genma called with a wave of his hand.

Neither genin moved as the proctor leapt away. The two stood motionless, observing the other as the crowd cheered in the background.

Sakura wanted to squirm under the boy's unsettling, white eyes, but she stood her ground and stared right back.

After a minute of silence, Neji finally spoke.

"I would offer the chance for you to simply surrender, but I can tell you won't back down without a fight."

Sakura held her tongue as she continued to stand still.

"You have that same defiant look, you know?" he called out, confusing her.

Neji nodded his head towards the observatory, where the bright spot of blonde hair was easily visible.

"Your eyes hold that same spark as that idiot's. You just don't know when to back down when fate has given a poor hand."

He didn't even flinch under her intense glare.

"However, unlike him, you're no fool. You actually have a brain between your shoulders. You're the type that, given enough time, can outmaneuver almost anyone, and you have had plenty of it."

She twitched as he smoothly slid into the signature form of the jyuuken.

"So, let's see what you have come up with to overcome this handicap," he smirked as his eyes hardened and the veins around his eyes became painfully visible.

She glanced one time into the stands and spied Kurenai sitting next to Asuma, before taking a deep breath.

' _Here I go.'_

No sooner had her hand twitched towards her kunai pouch, Neji shot off like a rocket. She quickly grasped three kunai and launched them at the approaching genin, as she leapt back. Neji easly dodged the barrage and vaulted over them. Sakura was shocked as she watched him effortlessly reach out and snatch one out of the air.

Neji landed and came at her with a ferocity even Kiba couldn't keep up with. Her eyes widened as she tried to her best to evade the path of the blade.

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes as he watched Neji chase Sakura around the field. Naruto glanced to his right and noticed the boy's expression.

"Something wrong, Shikamaru?"

"Something's not right. She's acting as if she's almost afraid of the kunai."

"No shit," Naruto deadpanned, "Gee, I wonder why she doesn't want to get cut by a knife."

"He's right," Sasuke chimed in without looking away from the match.

"Huh?"

"Sakura has come a long way since we left the academy. Maybe she's not grown as much as you three, but she has certainly worked hard to improve herself," Shikamaru said, glancing at Team 7.

"She is a kunoichi, and wouldn't be frightened just by the possibility of being cut by a kunai. Neji may be a pain, but he's not going to kill her. There's something else going on."

Sakura grunted as she tried her best to parry the onslaught of strikes.

' _Plan A,'_ she thought as she began reaching into her pouch.

However, her actions did not escape Neji's notice. His byakugan spied through her body and zoomed in on her pouch.

' _A flash bang,_ ' he thought as he watched her grab hold of the tiny ball. His lip curled up as the pieces fit together.

' _Not a bad idea,'_ he thought, as he got ready to leap away.

Before he could, she did something he never expected she would: she kicked off towards him. She clenched her eyes shut as she thrust the tiny ball into their faces, which promptly went off.

Both genin cried out, as the senses were suddenly overloaded with light and sound. Even with their eyes closed, at that close distance, their eyes were still incredibly stumbled away grasping their ears as they tried to drive out the whining sound.

' _Got to focus! Got to get him while he's distracted!'_ Sakura thought as she clasped her hands together.

Neji grit his teeth as he tried to put as much distance between them as he could. Thankfully, he had deactivated his byakugan before the flash bang went off, but he was still temporarily blinded. He stumbled as he felt something begin wrapping around his body, before he felt chains tighten his arms to his sides. His head swiveled to his right as he began feeling a tugging sensation on the chain.

Sakura rubbed her eyes as her vision began to return to her. Things had been incredibly blurry, but she could still make out Neji's face. She quickly flexed her wrist, palming four senbon from her sleeve.

As she was about to launch them, she froze as a smile crept along Neji's face.

"Very good. You're trying to stop me from using my byakugan so you can entrap me in your genjutsu. It was a nice try, but there is one thing that you of all people should understand."

She didn't like where this was going. She froze as he turned around and faced her.

"As you can guess, the jyuuken requires a high level of chakra control. Even without my eyes, I can sense your genjutsu!"

His arms pushed up and sailed straight through the chains, which melted away into mist. She napped out of her daze and began raining senbon at him.

She was stunned as he somehow dodged every needle she sent flying his way. Her eyes shot open as she finally noticed the veins reappearing along his eyes.

' _Can he still see even with his eyes closed?'_

* * *

"Well, can he?" Naruto asked, leaning towards Hinata.

"Technically, yes he can. His eyelids are just skin, and the byakugan can easily pierce through them. While it may be a little blurry for him, he should not be hampered too much."

Naruto sighed, causing some surprise from his teammates.

"Well, there goes one of my ideas," he weakly chuckled before turning his attention back to the match.

* * *

As he made his way towards the edge of the field, Neji continued blocked the senbon with the kunai he had stolen earlier. He quickly retreated behind the burnt bark of one of the trees Ehl had blasted in the earlier match.

' _I need to let my eyes heal as long as I can. Prolonging this match, will give my eyes more time to adjust before my other matches,'_ he thought as he leaned against the tree.

As he gripped the handle of the kunai, he was lightly startled as he felt something drip across his fingers.

He gazed down at the kunai and was surprised as he began inspecting the blade. He ran a finger along the edge and was fascinated to find a strange gel lacing the metal.

' _Poison. So that's why she had seemed so uncomfortable at the beginning of the match,_ ' he contemplated as he inspected the kunai, ' _So that's her plan. She want to disrupt my chakra system so I can't activate my byakugan.'_

As he got caught in his thoughts, he was not unaware of the dark shape quickly racing towards him behind the tree.

' _Well, two can play at that game,_ ' he thought with a smirk as he started running through hand seals.

Sakura leapt over the top of the tree, senbon clenched in both hands ready to pepper her opponent. As she sailed over the burnt branches, she was shocked to find him missing.

She landed with a thud and quickly spun around, eyeing the surrounding area. Where could he have gone?

Kiba felt his heart sink as he watched a dark shadow begin to grow from the base of the tree. As much as he wanted to shout out a warning, his voice would never be heard over the roar of the crowd. He could only watch in silence, as Neji began emerging out of the bark of the tree.

Sakura froze as she suddenly felt the invading chakra in her system.

 _'He placed me in a genjutsu!_ ' she internally cried out as she quickly sent a pulse through her body. Even as she began to turn around, she knew it was too late. Neji lashed out and his fingers dashed along her arm, causing the muscle to violently condense. She let out a muffled scream as the tenketsu in her arm were shut tight. Neji reached out with a backhand slash with the kunai, which she barely dodged out of the way. As she leaned out of the way, he kicked off and planted a knee in her chest. She stumbled back and felt her back slam against the wall. As she opened her eyes, her world froze as she saw him inches away from disabling her other arm.

 _'Plan B.'_

Neji was already in motion as he prepared to disable her other arm when he noticed it: chakra building up in her throat. His eyes widened as her cheeks began to bulge, but it was too late to halt his momentum.

She exhaled, blowing a massive cloud of purple smoke from her lungs. He collided into her, banging their skulls together. He desperately tried to leap away, but the damage was already done. He grit his teeth as he violently coughed and tried to rub whatever was burning his eyes away.

' _More poison. No wonder she's been so quiet the whole match.'_

Sakura raised her good arm to her head and tried to stop the aching pain from their collision. Even so, she grinned as she watched Neji violently wheeze from the gas. Even without his byakugan, he could still dispel genjutsu due to his incredible chakra control. So, she had searched for a way to somehow disrupt his chakra network, and she had come up with one of the most ancient of kunoichi traditions: poison.

Knowing it was now or never, she raised her one good arm and tried to form hand seals, but froze as a realization washed over her. Nothing was happening.

Even if she could still move it, he had gotten her other arm.

For the first time in this match, she didn't have a plan. The poison may have disrupted his chakra, but he would still be able to function on a moderate level. She may have been getting better, but she was not on his level in taijutsu, even with him incapacitated.

' _What do I do? What do I do?'_ she desperately thought as she glanced into the crowd. Even from here, she could make out her sensei's signature, red-sleeved dress and Kiba's hoodie with Akamaru perched on top.

' _No! I've come this far! I am not going to lose here!'_ she grit her teeth as she unconsciously began molding chakra.

' _I can do this, and I will!'_

Neji let out another violet cough as his body desperately tried to remove the toxic chemical from his lungs. However, it was too late. He could already feel the affects of the poison creeping through his system, hindering his ability to mold chakra.

' _Got to focus! I must keep my byakugan active!'_

As he desperately tried to cling to as much control as he could, he felt his body grow cold as a shadowy presence flooded over him.

He turned around to see Sakura bent over with her hair billowing in the wind. His eyes widened as a massive, ink-like blot appeared behind the girl. He felt his heartbeat begin to rise as a massive hand shoot up from the hole and begin pushing off from the ground, dragging an unholy creature behind it.

* * *

"Ugh… You guys can see that, right?" Naruto asked as he and the other viewers stood in silence, gazing at the massive creature that towered behind Sakura.

He certainly wasn't alone. The audience let out surprised gasps as bright yellow eyes shot open, and the massive caricature of the girl smashed its fists together.

' _It isn't real… It's only a illusion!'_ Neji thought as he grit his teeth, trying to get his body under control, but no matter how hard he tried, his chakra was fluctuating too much.

"Fine then," he growled as the creature lumbered towards him. It sluggishly raised its head and began rushing towards him. Neji rose to his feet, and began jogging towards the behemoth. As he continued along his path, Inner Sakura swung its massive fist. Every instinct in his body screamed at him to dodge the incoming blow, but he forced himself to ignore his brain.

' _Push! Through!'_

Not stopping for an instant, he launched himself straight through the illusion. Even though his body felt no force from the creature, his brain still recognized the impact. The nerves along his body lit up in pain, but he clenched his teeth and powered through it.

As he emerged on the other side, Sakura was shocked. In her tired state, she attempted to throw a kick at him. Neji shoved her leg aside and clenched his fist. With his chakra control out of whack, he may not have been able to use the jyuuken, but he hadn't trained under Konoha's foremost taijutsu expert for over a year without learning anything.

He smashed two hits into her limp arm, causing her to scream out in pain. Ducking to the ground, he twisted and kicked out her legs from under her. As she dropped to the ground, he planted a knee on her back and grabbed hold of her functional arm. Without a moment's hesitation, he yanked and twisted it out of her socket.

The crowd winced as Sakura cries echoed across the stadium. Ten feet away from them, Inner Sakura stumbled as tried to turn around, but could only moan as it began fading away.

Neji pressed her face into the dirt as he bent her arm even further back.

"Submit. Now."

She tried. She really did. But she could not stop the stream of tears from falling down her face as he increased the pressure on her arm.

' _I'm sorry Kiba, Akamaru.'_

She nodded her head and cried out, "I forfeit!"

Genma sighed and raised his arm. "Winner: Neji Hyuuga."

The audience let out a weak applause as they watched Sakura carted out of the stadium.

"Too bad," Shikamaru sighed.

"She put up a great fight. It was just a poor matchup," Temari commented as she stood next to him.

"Agreed. She put a good amount of thought into the fight, but in the end, he was just too much for her."

Naruto remained silent as he watched Sakura disappear down the tunnel. He glared as he stared down at Neji. He was getting sick and tired of this guy beating up on his friends. He carefully glanced to the side, and shot Hinata a look.

Naruto may not have been the most observant person when it came to social interactions, but even he could tell that Neji placed his cousin on edge. It was sublte, but he would pick always pick up on the way she would twitch if Neji glanced in her direction.

He was sick of it.

* * *

"Why does he get to be treated by the medical ninja?" Ino cried as they watched Neji walked out of the arena

"They have to make sure the poison isn't lethal. While killing isn't forbidden in the exams, it is heavily frowned upon. If we can take any chances to prevent it, we do," Asuma replied trying to soothe her.

He glanced next to him at Kurenai, who had not said anything since the end of the match.

"Erm… I'm sorry."

"You shouldn't be," she replied with a light smile. Asuma was surprised by the twinkle in her eye as she turned to look at him.

"Even though she lost, I have never been prouder. Did you see what she did? She manifested a genjutsu so powerful that everyone in the crowd felt it, AND she did it without hand signs."

Asuma chuckled at the pride in her voice. The kid had talent he wouldn't deny that.

Kiba sighed as he leaned back into his chair.

"Damnit. She was so close too," he grumbled as Akamaru whimpered.

"That's the Hyuuga for you," Chouji commented as he patted Kiba's shoulder, "Now, I almost feel bad for that other guy from Kumo that has to face Hinata."

A loud chuckle caught his attention, as Ko's face lit up in a smile.

"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that."

"If anything, I'd be more worried about the Hyuuga," Ehl muttered from the end of the aisle.

"And why is that?" Ino asked, leaning over Chouji.

Ko and Ehl looked back at their sensei, who nodded, allowing them to proceed.

"Well, as you saw from his match, Ehl here specializes in taijutsu and ninjutsu. With my summons, I'm our tracking and interrogation expert. Rounding out our group is Jay, who just so happens to be a genjutsu specialist"

"That's too bad. Now I do feel bad for the guy," Chouji murmured, before snacking down again.

' _You'll be surprised, Akimichi,'_ the sensei thought to himself as he leaned back in his chair. In all honesty, while Ehl was without a doubt the heavy hitter of their little group, Jay was certainly the more deadly. The man had a smile on his face as he gazed down at his light-blonde haired student, who was lazily leaning against the rail of the platform.

The boy only seemed to be focused on his art and women, but, when he got serious, even he had a tough time keeping track of him.

Oh yes. He was certainly the most dangerous of the three of them.

Especially, for a Hyuuga.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Two down, several more to go. Next up, Sasuke vs Shino.**

 **If you guys want a better mental image of Jay, look up Klein's artwork for Fire Emblem Heroes. Very similar face.**

 ***** Important: I've been going back and forth and now it's even confusing for me, so I'm setting the record straight once and for all. Regarding the Fox Hellfire jutsu, I have been changing the colors of the different stages after doing some research, but it seems I missed certain parts and now its just confusing people. I'm just going to go back to how it originally was (even if it is scientifically inaccurate).**

 **Stage 1- Yellow/Red , Stage 2 - White , Stage 3 - Blue**

 **If anyone notices any inconsistencies that I have missed, please contact me. Thank you and sorry for the confusion.**

 **Review Corner:**

 **Regarding certain questions in the reviews, I can't reply to people if they post their questions as a guest. I am currently testing a new system where I will directly PM a person if they leave a question in the reviews, so I can fit more into each chapter (FF gets irritated if I try to upload chapters around 6000 words).**

 **To the person who asked about Hinata's summons, they have not been revealed yet, but they are coming up... eventually. Don't worry, I have the reveal all planned out.**


	47. Chapter 47: The Finals (Part 3)

**Chapter 47: The Finals (Part 3)**

Despite the somber tone that had seemed to settle over the stadium from the brutal end of the previous match, the crowd seemed to find its second wind as it started to notice the next two competitors heading down to the field.

Chatter and cheers erupted from the crowd as the "Last Loyal Uchiha" made his way towards the center of the arena.

Ria raised an eyebrow as she glanced across the stadium, taking in the overwhelming support for the sourpuss. Of course, her brother was right along with them, shouting his head off as he recognized the dark haired boy.

"HEY! There he is! There he is!," Tai excitedly chanted as he tugged on her sleeve. "GO SASUKE!" he shouted, throwing his hands in the air.

Ria stifled a chuckle as she watched her younger brother's eyes gleam in admiration over his newfound idol. Ever since Sasuke had graciously offered them his tickets, he was all Tai would ask her about.

 _When was the last time she talked to him? What kind of missions did he go on?_

Everyday brought a new round of interrogations. It seemed that despite her best efforts, the boy simply had shinobi on the brain. However, he was never going to walk down that path. Not if she had anything to say about it. Although, it still hurt her to have to shut him down every time he asked. At least letting him come today would ease her conscience.

Ria glanced back down at the field and quietly stared at the somber boy she had gotten to know over the last few weeks.

' _All right, duck-butt. Let's see what's so damn special about you.'_

* * *

Sasuke tried his best to hold back a smirk as he stared across the field toward his opponent. Finally, it was his turn for some action.

Shino stood as silent as usual; as if he was barely interested in the situation they were in.

"Alright, we're ready to get underway. You two ready to go?" Genma asked.

"A moment, please," Shino declared before turning to Sasuke.

"Something you want to say?" Sasuke asked.

"More of a request," Shino replied, slightly catching Sasuke off guard. He pushed up his glasses and continued, "It doesn't take a genius to determine the probable outcome of this match. On top of your aptitude for katon jutsu, I find it hard to envision myself overcoming your prowess in taijutsu."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "Are you planning to forfeit?"

"Not at all," Shino replied with a shake of his head, "I simply wished to ask you to refrain from holding back."

Shino tilted his head and gazed up towards the stands. He gazed straight through the glass at the judges, who stared straight back at them.

"This match isn't about winning or losing. It is about demonstrating to them that we have the capacity to bear the responsibility that being a chunin requires. Even if I lose, if my performance is satisfactory, I may still earn a promotion."

Sasuke nodded his head, but was still slightly confused. "And what that does that have to do with me going all out?"

Shino almost seemed to smile. "Let's just say, I wish to know where I rank among my peers."

Sasuke chuckled as he rested his palm on the handle of his sword.

"Certainly. I'll give you the match you want, but regarding your promotion, that all depends on you, doesn't it?" he smirked as his eyes flashed red.

"Yes. I suppose it does," Shino nodded, as he grew silent once again.

"Alright, if you two are finished," Genma called out before raising his arm, "Ready? Begin!"

There was a whistle of grinding metal as Sasuke's sword cleared its scabbard. He disappeared in a blur, racing across the arena. He blazed past Shino, who remained motionless, before his torso lifted off from the clean slice through his chest.

The audience gasped in shock as the Aburame boy was cut clean in half, only to draw back in disgust as the body dissolved into a shower of insects. The swarm quickly recovered and began hurtling towards Sasuke.

Before the bug clone had even fallen apart, Sasuke had been already leaping away, and reaching into his bag. As he flipped away, his eyes soaked in every detail of the cloud of insects racing towards him. His sharingan soaked in every nook and crevice of their shells, their twitching antennae, and their black, emotionless eyes.

He quickly sheathed his sword, before throwing a small scroll towards the ground. He raced through the two hand signs and forcefully stomped on the dark seal in the center.

The ink glowed once before water began flooding from the paper. The water shot out like a geyser, and began spreading all across the field. The kikaichu along the ground were washed back by the violent torrent, but the swarm still in the air continued to soar towards him.

Before the water had even reached the kikaichu in the grass, Sasuke had already started racing through hand signs. He cupped his mouth and began firing off one Phoenix Fire jutsu after another.

A loud whine and multiple screeches echoed off the arena walls, as explosions rocked the cloud of insects. Tiny, burnt bodies littered down from the sky as the swarm was quickly burnt to a crisp.

Sasuke fired off his last fireball, and reached into his bag. He quickly launched three shuriken in a wide arc. They twisted as they soared and began to curve towards one of the trees that littered the sides of the arena.

They flew towards the tree, forcing Shino to jump away as they flew through the spot where he had been hiding. His shoulders were slumped and he seemed to be glaring through his round glasses.

' _He's getting agitated,'_ Sasuke thought as he watched the remnants of the swarm flee back towards Shino.

"Sorry about your hive, but you're going to have to do better than that," he called out as he gripped the handle of his sword.

"Indeed," Shino replied in an even tone, as he resumed his trademark stance.

Sasuke prepared to race towards him again, but stopped as Shino began launching a volley of kunai. As they raced towards him, his sharp eyes caught sight of the paper tags attached to the kunai at the handle.

Sasuke ground to a halt, and leapt to the side as the explosions rocked the arena. Shino didn't let up the pressure, and continued to toss kunai after kunai after the Uchiha. With his eyes, Sasuke was easily able to predict their trajectory and dodged accordingly. He began making his way towards the wall, and began racing along its circular edge, drawing closer to his opponent.

Shino finally relented his barrage and thrust out his arm. A wild cloud of kikaichu launched from his sleeve and raced towards Sasuke.

Sasuke slid to a stop and quickly vaulted straight towards the incoming wave. He raced through the necessary hand seals and fired off a large fireball straight through the heart of the swarm. The fire tore through the kikaichu, leaving a massiv hole in its wake.

Sasuke dove through this hole, and landed right in front of Shino, much to his surprise.

Shino attempted to jump back, but he felt his breath hitch as he lost his footing. He cursed as he tried his best to find solid footing on top of the mud.

' _Already thinking two steps ahead,'_ he thought to himself as he watched Sasuke recover from his fall and race towards him. ' _He's already preparing the field for his match with Gaara. By covering the field in water and mud, it shall be difficult for him to control and create more sand.'_

He braced himself as he was forced to take a stinging kick from Sasuke, which sent him sliding across the mud. He quickly withdrew a kunai as he spied the raven-haired boy jogging towards him with his sword already drawn.

Shino grunted as tiny cuts began coating his body. Taijutsu had never really been his strong suit, and he was absolutely being overwhelmed. He tried his best to parry the many strokes from Sasuke's blade, but more than a fair share were making their way through his defense.

Sasuke smirked, as he got ready to stab the tip of his blade through the loop of Shino's kunai. All it would take was a swift twist and he would be disarmed.

As he prepared to deliver his stroke, he paused as his sharingan caught sight of Shino's head. Shino seemed to not really be looking at him, rather over his shoulder.

His eyes widened and he quickly cut off his attack. He leapt over the boy and kicked him forward, straight into the small swarm that had been creeping up behind him.

Shino quickly recovered and released more kikaichu from his jacket. The two swarms melded together and contorted into the shape of a massive fist.

He swung the massive form, but Sasuke was easily able to leap away. Ignoring the mud coating his hands, Sasuke flipped away, over and over; until, in the middle of one arc, he threw his sword into the ground.

He landed on the handle, keeping himself balanced atop his palm. He smirked towards Shino as he began racing through one-handed seals. Shino's eyebrows shot up in panic as he watched electricity spark down the blade and connect with the layer of water that covered the field.

Shino cried out in pain as electricity raced through his body. As if on queu, the massive swarm fell apart and dropped to the ground.

' _That aught to have given his queen a shock,' Sasuke_ smirked as he cut off the jutsu.

Shino slunk to his knees as he desperately attempted to catch his breath. Every inch of his skin stung, and his mind faintly registered the stench of burning skin. His opponent refused to give him any reprieve as he raced towards him one last time.

Sasuke curled his fingers into claws as he began spreading chakra all across his body. Shino's eyes lit up in recognition as he desperately tried to stand up.

"Tsuuga!" Sasuke cried as he twisted and began twirling in a fierce tornado. Kiba's mouth hung open in shock, as he watched Sasuke plow into his teammate, sending him flying into the arena wall.

Sasuke decelerated from his spin, sliding along the mud as he caught sight of Shino among the debris.

Shino coughed as he attempted to push himself out of the rubble. He froze as he felt a thin but forceful pressure against his neck. He gazed over his glasses at Sasuke, who held his blade against his neck.

"Ready to keep going?"

Shino almost chuckled as he let out a sigh.

' _I apologize, Kurenai-sensei. It seems I failed you as well.'_

He turned his head towards Genma and nodded.

"I concede."

He nodded and quickly raised his hand. "Shino Aburame has forfeited the match. The winner is Sasuke Uchiha."

It almost seemed like a bomb went off, as the crowd lit up in applause. Sasuke rolled his eyes as he calmly sheathed his sword. After wiping off the mud from his hands, he reached out and helped Shino to his feet.

"I hope I did not hurt your queen too much," he said, making sure Shino could steady himself.

"I see you did your homework before our match. She is fine. A little shaken, but she will easily recover. Thank you for keeping your word."

"Anytime," Sasuke nodded as the two shook hands.

* * *

"This is bullshit," Kiba fumed as he cross his arms.

"Kiba!" Kurenai glared at him.

"But sensei! He stole my move! How the hell did he learn that anyway!" he growled, Akamaru barking in agreement.

"The sharingan is a powerful tool," Kakashi replied tapping his headband. "In case you didn't know already, it allows him to copy almost any jutsu he happens to see. While I agree he should have asked for your clan's permission first, he picked that up by watching your match with Neji in the preliminaries."

"That's so not fair!" Kiba shouted, earning another glare from Kurenai. Honestly, at times it felt like he was just hanging out with his mom instead of his teacher.

"Life usually isn't, but now maybe you can see why everyone holds the Uchiha in such high regard," Kakashi replied gesturing at the cheering crowd. "They were the backbone of our military and police for years. To the village, Sasuke is seen the last connection to that time."

Kiba grumbled as he tightened his hoodie and sunk into his seat.

"It's still bull," he grumbled and sighed as he watched Sasuke and Shino go their separate ways.

' _At least put it to good use you proud jackass.'_

* * *

"WOOO! Did you see that? That was amazing!" Tai hollered along with the rest of the crowd. A smile a mile wide stretched across his face as he turned towards his sister.

"And you're friends with _him_! He's so cool!"

Ria was silent as she watched Sasuke make his way across the arena. Even at this distance, she could see him rolling his eyes at the crowd's praise. She chuckled at the pout on his face, and finally joined the crowd in their applause.

"Not too bad," she whispered.

She was not alone in her sentiment. Barely twenty feet away from her, another person was thinking the exact same thing.

' _Very good, Sasuke-kun,'_ Orochimaru grinned as he watched the boy reunite with his team. He was thankful for the cloth hiding his mouth, for his sneer certainly would have raised some eyebrows from the guards.

' _Impressive display, but let's see how well you fare against my "son"'._

* * *

On the far side of reserved seating, the Hyuuga's elite sat huddled together, applauding with the rest of the crowd.

' _You would have been proud Mikoto,'_ Hiashi internally sighed as he watched Sasuke banter back and forth with his team.

While he reminisced in the memories of his fallen teammates, he failed to notice that he wasn't the only one in their booth staring at the Uchiha.

"Those eyes…" they muttered under their breath.

Keen on taking one last peek, they quickly activated their byakugan and zoomed straight in at the boy in question. Their gaze never left his solid, black eyes, which were now forever burnt into their memory as red.

She could not suppress a grin as her mind began racing with possibilities.

"Magnificent."

* * *

"Would Dosu and Gaara make their way to the field, please," Genma shouted as soon as the applause died out.

"I guess it's time," Dosu growled as he began making his way towards the exit. He caught sight of Naruto shooting him a dirty look, which only caused him to chuckle. Naruto narrowed his eyes. He still held some resentment from the Sound team's ambush in the Forest of Death. Although they, or rather Sasuke, had sent them packing, they had caught him in a bad mood. To be honest, he half wished he were the one who got to face Dosu.

"He is weak. He is barely worth my time," a voice murmured behind him.

Team 7 turned around to face Gaara staring them straight down. He glanced over their shoulders at Dosu, who was already on the field.

"He is not worthy, but you two," he said glancing back up at Naruto and Sasuke, "are worth my time. Mother will savor your blood most."

All three were stunned as the red headed boy began to make his way towards the exit. Naruto was the first to recover and shook his head.

"Hey, just what the hell is that supposed to mean?" he growled as he reached out and grabbed him by the shoulder.

As soon as he touched him, Naruto visibly flinched as a loud roar echoed through his head.

' _Wh-What the hell was-'_

He was cut off from his thoughts as a massive amount of killing intent washed over him. Gaara slowly turned his head and glared at his with his bloodshot eyes.

"Remove your hand, or I will remove it from you."

Naruto was too shocked to truly react. He was still confused by the sounds in his head, and the boy's sheer presence was making it hard for him to move.

"Naruto-kun, don't go starting a fight," Hinata quickly jumped in, pulling him back from the other boy.

As soon as his hand left Gaara's shoulder, the fog of killing intent seemed to wash away. Gaara gave him one last glare, before making his way towards the steps.

"I honestly don't think it's possible for you to stay away from trouble," Sasuke remarked as he watched Gaara disappear down the stairwell. After not receiving a reply, he was surprised to see the blonde still slightly dazed.

"You all right?" he asked nudging him.

"Huh? Yeah, yeah I'm fine," Naruto muttered as he watched Gaara emerged from the tunnel.

 **"** Don't tell me he actually scared you?"

Naruto's response, or rather lack of one, truly surprised his teammates.

"No, no. It's not that. It's…something else."

"What is it?" Hinata asked.

"I'm… not quite sure myself," Naruto muttered as his mind replayed the roar over and over again. He had heard that roar once before, and it did not settle his mind to hear it again. Something was wrong about that kid, and, whatever it was, it made the Kyuubi _very_ unhappy.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Sorry for the delay. I had finals two weeks ago, and obviously my attention needed to be towards studying. After that, I took the next week off to decompress (since I'm starting my summer semester this week).**

 **Grab the confetti and light the fireworks, since you guys did it. As of this moment, The Yajuu Sannin has now crossed the 1000 review mark. Whether you've just joined the story or have been here since the beginning, it has been a pleasure writing for you all. Truly, I have ascended into the pantheon of mediocre Fanfiction writers.**

 **In all seriousness, thank you.**

 **Back to the story, a new player is creeping her way onto the stage. It seems Orochimaru isn't the only one fascinated with Sasuke's eyes. Who is this mysterious Hyuuga? (well… keep reading and you'll find out…)**

 **Anyways, I apologize that the chapter was really short, but trust me, it's because of pacing. Don't worry; next chapter is going to make it up to you. Hope you're ready for one of the most inventive fights yet. You guys are going to really dig Jay's special jutsu, and you may actually learn something new from it. (It certainly took me by surprise when I first discovered the idea months ago.)**

 **Ehl was initially my favorite of the Kumo team, but Jay has grown to become the more important of the two (and certainly the more dangerous). Originally, he was just a sweet talker to irritate the boys, but he has shifted to become more of a Shikamaru-like character. Laid back but deathly serious when he wants to be.**

 **As always, reviews are greatly appreciated.**

 **Next time: Hinata vs Jay**


	48. Chapter 48: The Finals (Part 4)

***1/24/18 - If returning due to receiving an update, please skip to the very bottom to see the message.**

 **Chapter 48: The Finals (Part 4)**

Hysteric shrieks swept the crowd as blood splattered across the grass.

"Nee-chan!" Tai cried as Ria clamped her hands over his eyes. Of course this would happen. This was exactly what she had been afraid of.

"I said that's enough!" Genma shouted as he watched Dosu's arms contort more and more, to the point where bones were painfully sticking out of his skin.

Gaara paid him no mind as he tightened the sand's grip on his opponent. Dosu was currently encompassed by a cocoon of sand, which was crushing the boy's body at an agonizingly, slow pace. The boy's prized gauntlet was in pieces, as well as the rest of the arm it was attached to.

The corners of Gaara's mouth tugged into a grin as he raised his arms and began clenching his fingers.

"You may not satisfy mother's thirst, but you will do for now…" he droned as the sand encompassed the boy's whole body.

Before he could finish his work, he froze as his view was suddenly blocked.

" **Release him. Now…** ," Genma ordered as he glared down at the boy.

Gaara barely reacted as he turned to glared at the four, cloaked ANBU agents, who had surrounded him.

After staring down the man for a few seconds, he relented. It didn't matter. He'd be dead soon anyway.

"As you wish."

The sphere of sand fell to the ground, dropping Dosu along with it. It quickly retreated away from his bleeding body and returned to Gaara's gourd. As soon as Dosu reappeared, the medic team was on him in seconds, rushing him off the field.

Gaara paid them no mind. They were of no importance. As he made his way back to the observation deck, he simply stared back at the two individuals who did interest him.

' _I'd worry more about the Kazekage's son if I were you. He… well, let's just say that he's not natural. I believe you two are locked on a collision course whether you like it or not.'_

Ehl's words were starting to make him more uncomfortable by the minute. On top of that, he couldn't get the echoes of the Kyuubi's roar out of his head. Just what was it that was upsetting the damn fox so much?

Naruto stared back at the redhead's emotionless eyes, and immediately felt a new wave of uncertainty wash over him. While Gaara didn't say a word, his message to the two them was obvious.

 ** _You're next._**

* * *

Ria was silent as she felt her brother trembling in her arms.

"Are you okay, Tai?" she asked, finally removing her hands from his face.

"… I think so," he somberly muttered as he tried to stop shaking.

She grit her teeth as she watched the proctor announce a short break. This was exactly why she didn't want to come. While her brother may have been too young to understand the morbid nature of the shinobi world, she wasn't. It was so easy to get caught up in the magic of all jutsu and fighting that you could forget that this wasn't just a game. Some of these people were here for blood.

This was the reality of the shinobi life.

"Grab your stuff. We're leaving," she said as she rose from her seat.

"What! No!" Tai exclaimed, clenching onto the handrails of his seat.

"Yes, we are. I refuse to let you continue watching this."

"But Ria! This is the first time you've ever let me see this!"

"And it was probably the last. Now get up from your seat," Ria ordered.

" _Make me_ ," Tai replied back as gripped the arm rests even tighter.

A pause of silence echoed between the two as they glared at each other, neither willing to back down.

"Are you going to make me drag you out of here?" Ria coldly asked, placing a hand on her hip.

"No, we're both going to walk out of here once your friend has won this tournament," he replied with a fierce determination that honestly surprised her.

"Why does that matter to you?" she asked.

"Because he's your friend! You may be strict and annoying, but you're my sister. That means you look after me, and I look out for you."

Ria shook her head and pinched her nose. "And what does that have to do with this?"

Tai grew quiet as he looked down. "I get why you have to work all the time. You just want to take care of me, but you never look after yourself. You never go out to have fun, and you don't really have any friends. It's always just work, work, work."

Ria felt her face growing hot as she began to notice people starting to lose their interest on the field and begin to stare at their argument. Oh she did not need this right now.

"But you finally got a friend, and he's the one who invited us to come here. You're always lecturing me about manners and junk, so isn't the polite thing to do to stay and watch him until the end?"

She didn't know what made her angrier. That her brother had a fair point, or that she partly agreed with him. Honestly, she couldn't tell if he was just saying it so that he could stay, or that he meant it.

Probably both.

She rubbed her forehead to try ease the migraine she already could feel was coming. He could never just make things easy.

She sighed and looked up at him. "… fine. We'll stay. On one condition," she finished pausing the smile that had started to spread on his face.

"If I think, for any reason, that a match has gone too far and you are too young to see it, we are leaving. No if, ands, or buts about it. Are we clear?"

"Crystal!" he replied with a salute, before patting at her seat for her to retake her spot. She sighed and slunk back into her seat, desperately trying to cast off the attention they had drawn from their little conversation.

Immediately, guilt began to wrack up inside her. Had she made the right decision? Had she given in too easily?

Not for the first time, she reflected on how she was truly not ready for this. While she had tried her best to raise her little brother, she just didn't know if she was doing a good job.

How do you even prepare for being thrust into the role of a parent? How could you ever be ready for that much responsibility?

* * *

"Thank you for your patience," Genma called out after the giant red stain and pieces of bone had been washed from the field. "Now, we shall continue. Hinata Hyuuga and Jay Oshiro, make your way to the field."

"Come on, Miss Hyuuga. Let's give the crowd a performance to lift their spirits," Jay winked as he made his way towards the steps.

"Good luck out there. Make sure to kick his ass just for me," Naruto smiled, giving her a thumbs up.

"You don't need luck. You're just fine without it. Make sure not to beat him up too bad," Sasuke said giving her a thumbs up as well.

She smiled and nodded before following Jay out to the grass.

As they took their places across from one another, Hinata quietly settled in to her jyuuken stance, while Jay simply stood with his hands in his pockets as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"Remember, when I say the match is over, it's over. I don't expect a problem from you two, but don't make me enforce that again, _and try to liven up the mood if you can,"_ Genma whispered at the end, before addressing the crowd.

"Alright. Let the next match of the tournament begin!"

As soon as he waved his arm, Hinata activated her byakugan. She grew tense as she waited for Jay to lunge at her, but he simply stood there as if he didn't have a care in the world.

The crowd erupted in applause as the tournament finally started once again. However, even among the thousands of people present, one person managed to stand out more loudly than anyone else.

" **GOOOO HINATA-CHAN! KICK HIS ASS! WOOOOO!"**

"Quite a fan club you've got over there," Jay chuckled, nodding his head in the blonde's direction.

She fought to stop the faint blush across her cheeks from growing from his sweet, yet embarrassing behavior.

"He's very supportive."

"Oh, I'll bet. Then again, it's easy to understand when he has a teammate as lovely as you are," he replied with a coy smile.

She chuckled as she her blush began to vanish. "Flattery will get you nowhere Jay-san."

"I have no doubt. Unlike other girls, you are a true kunoichi. Such trivial things such as appearances or suitors do not distract you. You focus on your goals, and take your steps in stride to claim them."

"Erm… thank you?" Hinata hesitatingly replied.

"My pleasure, however… you are not without your faults," he responded.

Hinata was caught off guard. "Excuse me?"

Jay chuckled and began slightly strolling in a circle around her. "Well, nobody's perfect. Everyone has his or her flaws. We all have scars, both physically and mentally. These scars in our psyche shape us into who we are."

Her byakugan flared as she watched him continue to talk.

"I'm pretty good at reading people. It's almost a necessity for my line of work. Now, do you want to know what I see underneath that proud kunoichi exterior of yours, Miss Hyuuga?"

Hinata remained silent as she glared at the blonde boy as he stopped and turned to face her.

"I see a disappointing, little girl who's too terrified to stand up to daddy."

Silence fell upon the crowd as they anxiously awaited Hinata's response. Jay was slightly surprised as he saw a smile begin to form on her face.

"I can see what you are up to Jay-san. Your tricks will not work on me."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he coyly shrugged.

"I saw your genjutsu the moment you started talking. Amplifying your chakra through your throat. Your whole speech is a genjutsu to try and provoke me into attacking, allowing you to control the pace of our battle with your genjutsu presumably making me more and more frustrated as we go on."

"Gives a whole new meaning to sweet talking, doesn't it?" Jay chuckled in response. "Well, I didn't really expect that to work, but it was worth a shot," he shrugged.

It was the exact same problem that Haruno girl had faced when she had fought his opponent's cousin. With those impeccable eyes, they could easily see the genjutsu being cast and easily dispel it.

That was the trouble with fighting a Hyuuga as a genjutsu user; however…

Hinata was immediately on guard as Jay reached into his pouch and began withdrawing three metal cylinders.

…that didn't mean it was impossible.

Hinata simply stared in confusion as he began to slide the pieces together.

"Is that…"

"… a flute?" Naruto finished as he and the rest of the crowd watched on perplexed, as the Kumo nin finish assembling the metal instrument.

A devious smirk split apart his face, as Jay raised the instrument to his lips.

"Let's put that Hyuuga bloodline to the test, shall we?"

As the light notes began to fill the massive coliseum, the entire crowd drew unnaturally silent in order to listen to the melancholic melody. It seemed to lull them into an almost trance-like state. The notes echoed off the curved walls of the arena, even causing those waiting in lines to stop in their tracks.

Hinata remained alert as the melody drifted over her. She shook off the lulling feeling and remained rooted in her spot. For a while, she simply stood there, waiting to make a move. Constantly monitoring her chakra network and carefully watching his through her byakugan.

Yet, nothing was happening. He wasn't using any chakra at all. He was simply standing there, playing away as if he didn't have a care in the world.

Uncomfortable with waiting for him to make the first move, she shot off and began rushing towards him. Despite her rapidly approaching him, Jay still remained motionless with his eyes closed.

She was within one foot of him. Her arm was sweeping up, prepared to knock the flute from his hands, when suddenly his eyes shot open and his fingers flied across the pads, trilling a high note.

Hinata's eyes shot wide open. She overloaded her feet with chakra and leapt away as hard as she could.

"What happened?" Naruto asked as he and Sasuke watched in confusion, as Hinata landed from her rapid escape.

Hinata trembled as a bead of sweat dropped down her forehead. She took several deep breaths in attempt to calm down her heart, which felt like it was racing a mile- a-minute. She didn't know what had come over her. One second she had felt relaxed and confident. The next… panic.

Sheer panic.

' _What…what was that?'_

The corner of Jay's lips curled up as he ceased his trill. He then closed his eyes and resumed his unsettling melody.

Hinata clenched her hands as she wrestled her heartbeat back under control. Taking one last breath, she grit her teeth and raced towards him again.

Reaching into her pouch, she palmed three smoke bombs and launched them at her opponent. Despite this, Jay seemed unbothered as he simply stood still as purple smoke erupted beside him.

Hinata raced into the cloud and launched herself into the air. The hiss of the smoke bombs covered her approach as she landed behind him. Just as Kakashi had taught her, she quietly began stalking her opponent, creeping up behind him with measured steps.

When she was within five feet, she paused. Crouching down, she began pumping her feet with chakra and prepared to attack him again. Just as she was about to spring off, Jay began trilling again, this time at a higher octave.

Without thinking, Hinata twisted the weight of her feet and launched out of the smoke in the opposite direction. The audience gasped in surprise as they watched the Hyuuga heir retreat once again.

This time she continued back away, further and further until she found herself with her back against the wall.

As the smoke dissipated, Jay paused his song to turn and treat her with a smirk.

Hinata had her hands on her knees as she panted. Her stomach felt like it was twisting into knots.

"W-What a-are y-you doing to m-me?" she exclaimed.

"Wouldn't you like to know," he quietly taunted before launching into a new song.

Hinata took two minutes to center herself before standing up. She remained silent as she carefully observed her opponent.

She couldn't keep playing by his rules. He was just leading her around and making her look foolish. It was time to take back control of this fight.

She raised her hands and began racing through several hand signs. Raising her hand to her mouth, she cried, "Suiton: Water Bullets!"

Four blasts of water fired off across the arena. This time, Jay was forced to move as he leapt and dodged away from the masses of water. Hinata continued her assault and chased after him from a comfortable distance.

She continued pushing him back until he found himself with his back against the wall. He leapt backwards to avoid the final bullet, before attaching himself to the wall. Hinata chased after him, already racing through new hand seals.

"Suiton: Water Needle Barrage!"

The puddles along the ground from Hinata's water bullets began condensing together, firing off wave after wave of paper-thin needles up towards the wall.

Jay raced along the curve as the needles peppered the wall in his wake. As Jay began dancing higher and higher up the arena, he looked down and noticed Hinata racing through more hand seals.

Immediately, the water needles embedded in the wall stretched out and combined together into a thin tendril. His eyes widened as the whip-like appendage shot upward and grabbed hold of his ankle.

His song was cut off as the tendril yanked him from the wall and threw him against the ground, knocking the wind from his lungs. His flute fell from his hands, rolling to the side.

He winced as he opened his eyes, before rolling away as Hinata's foot smashed into the ground. He jumped to his feet to block the incoming blows.

Jay grunted as she began pushing him back. It wasn't that he couldn't handle her. It was that it was so damn aggravating to have to focus more on dodging and slapping her strikes away due to her tedious tenketsu-closing technique.

His eyebrow rose as her fists ignited in blue flames and a set of fangs hovered over her palms. Even though he was blocking her strikes, he could literally feel his chakra being drained away.

He grabbed her right strike and yanked her forward. He gave her a kick, causing her to slightly stumble as he dove for his flute.

As she turned to strike his back, he whipped around with the instrument in his hands and quickly held out a low note.

Hinata was immediately startled to see something dart behind her from the corner of her eye. Instinctively, she twisted around with a slash, but was stunned when she turned around.

Nothing. Nothing was there.

The world went black momentarily as a sharp pain erupted from the back of her skull. She stumbled slightly from the blow and received one more, before she could raise her arms to block another.

She growled and pumped chakra into her forearm as she launched a strike straight at his neck. However, her palm was diverted from its intended path as he slid her arm with his flute into his shoulder instead.

Wincing at the suddenly influx of chakra, Jay stumbled back. He raced through four hand signs and slammed his hand into the ground. Hinata was caught off balance as the ground beneath her catapulted her into the air away from him.

Hinata stumbled on the landing, falling to one knee. She cradled her head as she felt blood running down her neck.

She wasn't the only one cradling her wounds. Jay rubbed at the new bruise along his shoulder. She had missed his tenketsu, but it was still incredibly sore. He was surprised to look up and see Hinata's palms bathed in a green light as she cradled her head.

' _Right. She's a med-nin_ ,' he thought to himself with only mild irritation. It wasn't too big of a problem, but it could certainly make things complicated.

Overall, it didn't really matter that much. After gauging her reactions from his first few tests, he had pretty good read on her.

Time to get to work.

Jay unbuttoned the pack along the back of his belt and ran his fingers along the four colored scrolls. He debated grabbing the red scroll, but settled on the yellow. It was only polite to make this a private affair. He could tell she was a sweet girl. There was no need to ruin her intimate relationships.

* * *

Hinata let out a sigh as the bruise on her head began fading away. Even so, blood continued to trickle down her face from where he had hit her with his flute.

She glared at her opponent and set her eyes on the small instrument. That thing was starting to annoy her. Her first step was removing it from the equation.

She was immediately alert as Jay withdrew a scroll from his pouch and unrolled it on the ground.

"What are you afraid of Miss Hyuuga?"

"Pardon?"

Her stomach clenched into knots as a more sinister look washed over his face as he smiled at her.

"What occupies your thoughts as you drift to sleep? A fear of disappointment? Rejection? Or how about something as simple as ghosts?"

Subconsciously, the burning image of horned figure flashed into her mind causing her to flinch. Jay chuckled as he noticed the last one strike a nerve.

"Well, we'll see soon enough."

Without warning he twirled his flute into the air, like a baton. As the whole crowd was distracted, he raced through twelve hand signs and stomped on the scroll.

"Doton Entrapment: Symphony 7: Whispering Echo Chamber!"

Hinata leapt to the side as dark lines shot of the scroll and raced past her along the ground. They spread out contorted into an intricate pattern stretching from one side of the arena to the other.

Hinata was caught off guard as the ground began slowly rising around her. She glanced back in shock as a massive dome began encompassing a large portion of the arena.

' _I cannot be trapped inside!'_

She shot off and began racing over the rising walls towards the rapidly disappearing hole in the roof. She leapt off from the pillar of stone and twisted midair to run upside down on the dome.

Jay caught his flute and rapidly began playing several notes. He aimed the end of the instrument at Hinata and fired off two bullets of air.

The bullets blocked her path, sending her flying back. Quickly withdrawing a kunai, she slammed it into one of the stone pillars, and began sliding down the stone with a sinking heart as she watched the hole close up, blanketing the entire structure in darkness.

She continued her descent and quietly landed on the ground. Even though her byakugan allowed her to see through the darkness, it still left her unsettled.

She could still see Jay. In fact, he had decided to sit down in the center of a room towards the center of the structure. The scroll responsible for this construction was sitting right in front of him. From her perspective, it simply radiated chakra, which seemed to feed directly into the earth.

Taking a deep breath, she collected herself and began making her way towards the outer wall. After walking down a short alley, she reached the edge of the dome. She reached into her bag and quickly withdrew three explosive tags. After placing them against the wall and retreating a safe distance, she made a hand sign and activated them.

The explosion echoed off the wall, sending debris flying everywhere. To her disappointment, she could only watch as the minimal damage she had inflicted was repaired.

With her byakugan, she could see a steady path of chakra leading from the scroll to the damaged section of the wall.

She sighed as she leaned against a wall. Great. She couldn't bust her way out. She'd have to destroy the scroll first, and the only way to get to it was to traverse his stone maze.

She was forced to play his game, whether she liked it or not.

At least she could see through the walls with her byakugan. With that one consolation in mind, she set out along the dark corridors.

* * *

"What's going on in there? What is he doing to her?"

"The sharingan can only see traces of chakra idiot. I can't see through walls," Sasuke replied in irritation.

Naruto grit his teeth as he turned towards Neji, who was observing the match through his byakugan.

"Well…?"

Neji remained silent for a few seconds, before dryly stating, "It appears to be some sort of a maze. Hinata-sama is located about 30 degrees to your right on the opposite side of the arena. Her opponent is sitting within a structure about 20 feet into the air in the very center of the dome."

Naruto was quiet as he gripped the rails.

"I don't get it. What's the point?"

"He called it a echo chamber, correct?" Shikamaru spoke up settling in next to Naruto, "My guess is that he's planning on amplifying the effects of whatever he's doing with that flute of his."

"But just what is that flute doing?" Sasuke asked as they stared off at the stone structure.

* * *

Kakashi was just as frustrated as his students. Not just because he was unable to watch his student, but also because he had been surprised at how well the boy had outmaneuvered Hinata from the start of the match, by barely moving a muscle.

All she would do was draw close to him, and then immediately bolt off.

He glanced across at the Kumo jounin sitting two down from him.

"Care to explain what's going on?"

The man simply chuckled as a sly grin lit up his face.

"That boy is perhaps the cleverest person I've ever met."

He turned towards Kurenai and asked, "As the expert, why don't you bring the genin up to speed about musical genjutsu?"

The group turned to face Kurenai and she replied, "Musical genjutsu is the application of converting chakra into sound waves and affecting the target's mind through their auditory senses."

"Textbook definition if I've ever heard one," the jounin chuckled, "Yes, musical genjutsu is just another method of spreading your chakra into a target to affect their chakra system."

"But that still doesn't explain why it'd work on a Hyuuga," Kiba cut in, "They could still see it with their byakugan. Hinata even saw him do it earlier in the match."

"You're absolutely right. It wouldn't normally, which is why he found a way to circumvent that."

He smiled and turned towards Kakashi with a coy smile. "Do you believe in ghosts, Hatake-san?"

"Not at all."

"Well, neither does Jay, but as a genjutsu user, he was intrigued about why we fear the supernatural so much. To better understand what causes fear in the human mind, he actually went out and camped in reportedly haunted locations. As you know genjutsu is all about awareness in the subject. If he could find a way to emulate that atmosphere with his flute, he could push his opponent to react the way he wanted."

A proud smile washed over his face as he sighed. "That boy set out to determine what about those locations made people uneasy, and he made one hell of a discovery."

At this point, he had truly peaked Kurenai's interest.

"What was it?" she curiously asked.

"He discovered that at each of these locations, there was a faint sound wave that echoed throughout the area at a pitch too low for the human brain to recognize, usually caused by old pipes. He calls it infrasound. It's a whole bunch of technical mumbo-jumbo, but the gist is that while our ears can't pick it up, that doesn't mean the rest of our body doesn't react to it. It actually elicits fear in the body. The heart starts beating at an increased rate."

Kakashi's eyes widened as it started to piece together. That explained Hinata's violent reaction when she got close.

"Not just that. It also plays nasty tricks on your eyes, causing them to vibrate. He believes that's why people believe to see "ghosts" at those locations."

He leaned back in his chair as Kakashi reflected on Hinata's random reaction before she got hit in the head.

"Now mix that with chakra and you have a deadly recipe. He's not affecting her chakra network like regular genjutsu. He's attacking her through biology, and her brain is filling in the rest. Even with her byakugan active, he can cause her to see illusions by forcing her body to panic. The worst part: the closer she gets to him, the worse it shall become."

Kakashi was quiet as he processed this information. He and Gai shared a look before turning back towards the arena. Something didn't feel right. While the participants who had made it this far in the exam were expected to have a chuunin skill level, this felt like more than that.

The whole team from Kumo was starting to unsettle him. Naruto's opponent had certainly been above chuunin level and apparently so was Hinata's. He cast an eye down at the tan boy below him, whose leg was still bandaged in a cast. While he had failed to demonstrate his own abilities, from how his teammate described him, he was a tracking and summoning expert. What other tricks were they hiding?

Kakashi glanced at the jounin. "That's quite impressive of him to start his own research mission. Takes a lot of motivation."

"As if," Ehl muttered beneath him.

Ko and their jounin shared a chuckle at his response. "Well, let's just say he wanted some time out of the house. His mother can be quite the slave driver. There is a reason he's so good at his music. Practice, practice, and more practice. He'd rather be out making googly-eyes over girls, but his mother is very… _vocal_ that he should be focusing on his studies. Studying genjutsu is his way to escape from that," Ko informed them before turning to his teammate.

"Ehl, did you see which color he chose?"

"Yellow," he grunted.

"Okay, good," Ko sighed in relief, much to the other genins' confusion.

"What do you mean?" Ino asked.

"You'll see," he chuckled, refusing to say anything more on the matter. All the group could do was sit there and wait until someone emerged from the structure. The jounin was silent as he thought about the match.

Poor girl. She seemed like the nervous type. Jay was going to give her a heart attack. Even with her byakugan, she was in for a rough ride. All he has to do is giver her an outlet, and her brain will do the rest of the work.

* * *

Despite the loud murmurs of the crowd outside, the dome was enveloped in almost utter silence. The only sounds were the melodic tones of Jay's flute bouncing off of the walls.

Hinata was cautious around every turn, preparing for a trap. Even though she could see through the walls, she didn't want to take the chance. It was honestly starting to unsettle her. She had been walking around this ridiculous maze for ten minutes, andshe didn't seem to be making any headway. Every time, she seemed to grow closer to the center, the path seemed to deviate and lead her away. Not only that, but she could not shake off the uncomfortable feeling that she was being watched. Even though she could still see Jay sitting comfortably at the center, she couldn't help but feel as if a set of eyes of watching her.

Every time the paranoia attempted to settle in, she would pause and take a deep breath. She didn't know what it was, but she was growing increasingly unsettled, and she didn't know why.

Another thing was that her eyes were feeling funny. Her vision would occasionally grow fuzzy and they would water a little.

All the while, she was already planning on what she was going to do when she reached her opponent. An explosive kunai would probably destroy the scroll, and disrupt whatever his flute's music was doing to her.

She'd have to be careful though, if he knew she was coming, he could easily repeat whatever the hell he was-

Her eyes widened, and she ducked back as a massive sword stabbed straight through the wall an inch above her face. She stumbled onto her back as the blade was yanked from the wall. She rolled to the side as stabbed again and again, more violently with each thrust.

She retreated around the corner as watched the wall with shallow breath. She was having a hard time breathing. Her voice just seemed to be lost as she recognized the figure behind the wall, but it was just impossible.

The massive sword carved through the wall again, creating two diagonal lines into an X. After a moment, the hulking figure smashed through the stone, sending dust everywhere. As the dust settled, she could only stare with her mouth open at the unmistakable silhouette in front of her.

"W-What? But…but…you're…"

"Dead? I got over it," the figure growled as it tossed several kunai towards her. She ducked behind the wall, and ducked down as the massive kubikiribōchō hacked into the corner of the wall she was hiding behind. She stumbled to her feet and started jogging away as the figure lumbered into the alley, tugging its sword out of the stone.

' _How? How could he be here? He died in Wave!'_ she desperately thought as the dark figure chased her down the halls. Panic was overriding her composure as the figure relentlessly hunter her down the dark corridors.

"You're going to pay for what you did to me!" the voice echoed off the walls, followed by the clang of metal on stone as he slashed through the stone walls in his wake. "I'm gonna hack you limb from limb, and once I'm done, I'm gonna dismember those other brats. After all of that, I'm going skin that bastard Kakashi."

At Kakashi's name, she her mind froze and she slowed down to a halt. She simply stood there, with her head pointing down. Her panic startled to settle as one singular thought echoed in her mind.

It **was** impossible.

Kakashi did kill him.

Her eyes hardened and she turned around as the figure twisted around the corner. The Demon of the Mist's eyes seemed to glow red as he hunched over. Her eyes took in his dark form, and it was exactly as she remembered it. His spiky hair. Lanky arms.

However, there was only on aspect she was concerned about. She stared down at his chest and glared back.

No hole.

He wasn't even wearing the outfit he had worn on the bridge. Instead, it was the shirtless outfit he had worn during their first encounter by the river. The same outfit he had worn when she had been exposed to his horrid killing intent.

Her eyes narrowed as he slammed his sword against the ground and began dragging it behind him. He took two slow steps, before he shot off in a full blown sprint.

She took a deep breath as she slid into her jyuuken form. His blade rocketed towards her at speeds surprising for a blade of its size, but she was ready. Blue chakra sparked to life, stretching out into a thin blade. With all her might, she parried the blow away, knocking both her and the figure back.

Hinata was quick to recover and collided with the man once again. He reared back and prepared another swing, which she ducked under. She rolled past him, and as he turned around to swing, her other palm exploded with chakra.

The chakra blade slashed out, cutting the massive sword in two, with surprising ease. Unfettered, she continued the motion and slashed out with her other hand, slicing across his face.

The figure stumbled back, but barely reacted to the bow. It simply hung there before slowly turning to face her. The lanky man certainly seemed to live up to his demonic moniker. Just like she remembered, he had those awful shark-like teeth.

The figure roared at her and began to charge. In one swift motion, she sliced upwards, dismembering the figure's arms from its body. As it let out a blood-curling roar, she stabbed forward, straight into the man's mouth.

It simply seemed to freeze there, as if unable to comprehend what had happened. With a grunt, she twisted her arm and yanked the beam of chakra out of its head. The silhouette crumpled to the floor as its legs gave out beneath it.

Standing victorious over the figure, her eyes started going fuzzy and tear again. She rubbed them away with the back of her hand, and she froze once she looked down again at the figure.

In the place of the Demon of the Mist was a mud-like caricature of a man, slowly dissolving into the ground.

"Mud-clone," she whispered in relief as she took a few steps back and leaned against the wall.

She let out a deep breath as she sunk onto the floor. For a few minutes, she simply sat there, letting her heartbeat die down. Despite the eerie quiet that had settled over the maze, her mind was racing in a hundred different directions.

The more analytical side of her was considering what exactly had just happened, the softer side of her was just relieved it was over, but the predominant thing echoing through her body was shame.

She was supposed to be a kunoichi. Someone unfazeable and steadfast in the heat of the moment. She had taken one look at him and simply… panicked. Instead of facing the problem head on, she had ran. Not because it was a tactical retreat, but because she was scared.

Scared of something as silly as a… ghost…

Her eyes narrowed as she remembered Jay's taunt from earlier.

 _"What are you afraid of Miss Hyuuga? A fear of disappointment? Rejection? Or how about something as simple as ghosts?"_

He… he had planned this! Had he trapped her in a genjutsu at some point? After sending a quick pulse through her system, she was relieved to find nothing had changed.

If it wasn't that, then what? Her eyes narrowed as the melancholic music echoed through the dome.

Whatever he was doing, it had to do with that flute. Whether he was somehow trapping her in a genjutsu without her knowing it or simply casting some jutsu she had never heard of before, it didn't matter. Her plan was the same.

She pushed herself up and brushed her pants. After taking one last look at the pile of mud, she set back off through the maze.

* * *

Jay slightly paused as he felt his connection disappear.

' _Stage 1 is complete_ ,' he thought as he closed his eyes once again. He didn't expect the first mud clone to take her down. She was too far away from his music, for her to be affected too much. At this distance, she'd only start to see the hallucinations, but, at the very least, it should have worn her down a little.

Now that the physically stage was over, it was time to switch to a more emotional approach.

* * *

Once again, Hinata winced as her eyes started to water, and angrily wiped away the tears. It was really starting to bug her. She didn't know what it was. On top of that, her vision kept going fuzzy and it growing discomforting. Perhaps she was simply allergic to something in the air. Even with her med nin training, she wasn't exactly trained for-

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Hinata froze as the scream permeated throughout the maze. She pressed her back against the closest wall and slowly peaked around the corner. Seeing nothing, she frowned and glimpsed up at Jay, who still remained motionless.

She felt her guy clench up as the whimpered scream erupted again. This time however, her heart stopped as she recognized the voice.

She slowly crept around the corner and began tiptoeing towards the next intersection, growing closer and closer to the painful sobs of something off to her left.

Her hand shook as she gripped the wall and turned around the corner.

At the end of the corridor sat a hunched figure, leaning against the wall. The figure was covered in blood and taking incredibly shallow breathes. Her heart caught in her throat as she spied the mob of blonde hair.

The figure slowly reared up its head and weakly reached out to her.

"Hinata-chan, please… help m-"

He was cut off as a hand shot out around the corner and dragged the boy into the darkness. Without a second thought, Hinata chased down the corridor after him. Her mind was on autopilot.

As she shot around the corner, her breath caught in her lungs.

Blank, glassy eyes stared up at her. The boy's hands lay limp across the ground, as a huddled figure sat beside him, ripping into his flesh.

The creature froze and seemed to sniff the air, before turning its head in her direction. Hinata was paralyzed as the creature turned and she finally caught sight of its eyes. Each were bright red with two tomoes spinning inside.

The creature's arms lay hanging by its sides. Its arms and face covered in flaming black markings that only accented the crazed look in its eyes.

"S-Sasuke?"

A grin split apart its face as the boy simply shook his head. To her utter horror, his head began twisting around, far past the point where a human should be able to. It raised its hands towards the side of its head facing her. She took a step back as it parted its hair, revealing a yellow pair of eyes staring back at her. The pale face seemed to delight in her terror as she took a step back.

"No…" she gasped.

"I told you before. Sasuke is mine, Hinata-chan. Now and forever. But don't worry. You're next," Orochimaru chuckled.

Hinata could barely breathe, let alone move. She tried her hardest to turn around and run, but she simply couldn't do it. She wanted to do anything. Scream out in fear even, but her voice was trapped in her throat.

The sannin chuckled before hissing and launching towards her with his elongated neck.

Instinct took over as her palms erupted to life. A uncomfortable squelching noise bounced off the walls followed by a dull thud as the creature's head dropped to the floor.

Hinata remained rooted in her spot, with her arm still extended from her attack. Her breath came in shallow bursts as she forced herself to stop shaking. Slowly, she lowered her arm and clenched her hands together.

"It's all an illusion. It's not real," she whispered in an attempt to reassure herself. As she opened eyes, she quickly felt her tears return as she stared at the mutilated bodies of her teammates.

She couldn't help it. She knew it wasn't them, but that didn't mean it made the sight any less upsetting.

"I-It's not r-real… It's not real," she choked as she gazed down at the boys.

"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that," a voice whispered behind her.

Her blood froze as the sound of hissing began erupting behind her.

She whipped around to see the severed head roll onto its side to stare at her.

"Like I told you in the forest, I am not finished with you yet." The head chuckled before its neck began to wriggle and grow. The sound of wet flesh slapped against the ground as the head and neck of the sannin began to work in tandem, acting just like the summons he so actively imitated.

The serpent rose from the ground and turned to face her, revealing its massive fangs as chuckled at her distress. Hinata reacted as any creature did in the presence of a predator.

Run.

She twisted around and shot off down the corridor from once she came, with the snake chasing her in hot pursuit.

 _"It's not real! It's not real!"_ she shouted to herself, just before the dodging to the side as it lunged at her feet. It missed its target, but as it grazed her skin, she reacted and kicked the face away.

It shook its head before hissing and racing after her again.

' _Okay, maybe it is real, but IT ISN'T HIM!'_

However, no matter how many times she repeated this fact, no matter how much her brain knew it to be true, that face wouldn't disappear. She could still hear his taunting laughter as they raced throughout the maze.

"You failed them. You were too weak," it taunted as the creature easily dodged through the barrage of kunai Hinata tossed behind her. "You have always been too weak for your clan, and now you are too weak to save your teammates."

"Shut up! SHUT UP!" she shouted as she whipped around the corner to face a dead end.

The snake slithered to a halt, and began approaching her at a slower pace, taking its time to play with its prey.

"You will always be weak, and do you now why? You lacked what they did not: conviction. The Uchiha was fueled by his nightmares and thirst for vengeance. Even the kyuubi brat held steadfast in his conviction to become the Hokage of this pitiful village."

It paused as it began turning around the corner.

"They deserved their place in Team 7's legacy. What did you ever off-"

Orochimaru was cut off as blue light shot forward piercing straight through his mouth. The creature widened its eyes and chocked on the chakra blade as Hinata lifted it into the air.

"You're right. I have been a failure. All my life, it's been one disappointment after another. I could never live up to my father's expectations, I was unable to protect Sasuke from you, and… I was to cowardly to reach out to Naruto when he needed people most," she spoke somberly, before glaring and pulling the sannin's face up to hers. "But you know what? I am a proud failure. I make mistakes, but I also learn from them. And just like the two of them, I will never give up! Not now, not ever!"

She reared back and slammed the blade into the ground, watching the creature's tail wriggle in panic as it desperately tried to escape. Its eyes seemed to panic as her other palm ignited a chakra blade as well.

"And I certainly won't give up to a pathetic snake in the dirt," she cried out as she stabbed the snake with her other hand, before twisting both blades and slicing the creature into four pieces.

She remained silent as she began to see the white skin of the tail begin to disappear, revealing the deteriorating body of another mud clone. As the illusion began to approach its face, one eye swiveled around and glanced at her.

"I will be back for you."

Without another word, the multiple bodies of mud sunk into the ground without a sound.

* * *

Jay opened his eyes as he began to hear footsteps approaching from down the hall. He continued to play as his opponent came to a stop at the entrance of his room. For a minute, they just stood there, staring back at each other.

Jay finished the end of his minuet and finally lowered his flute.

"Welcome, Miss Hyuuga. I must say, you don't seem too pleased to see me."

Indeed she didn't. If her teammates had been there, they would have been shocked. It was very rare to see Hinata angry. She was an incredibly patient person with a deep sense of compassion. Seeing her frown at someone was just unheard of.

But she wasn't angry.

She was pissed.

"What you did to me... it was uncalled for."

"It's a competition," Jay shrugged.

"It was cruel!" she exclaimed, her voice echoing off the walls of the room.

"Not my fault. You can blame yourself for what you saw," Jay calmly replied as he rose to his feet.

"What are you talking about? I don't know how you cast a genjutsu on me, but this is your illusion."

"Like any conductor, I simply guide the performance. The members of the orchestra are the ones who control how the music sounds."

Jay paused as he tapped his head with the tip of his flute. "I simply guided your body to respond to certain stimuli, such as being attacked or seeing someone you cared for getting hurt. Anything after that was all on you. My music simply influenced your mind to project your thoughts onto these situations. Any particular person that showed or what they said all came from your own subconscious. Even I can't get that far into your mind while you have the byakugan."

Hinata remained silent, but continued to fix the boy with a fierce glare.

"What does your flute actually do?"

"Well, you've made it this far, I might as well reward you," he replied as he began spinning his flute in his hand. "To sum it all up: I play, you panic, and your mind does the rest."

"… and your mud clones?"

"Simply a blank canvas for you to project your fears. Due to the nature of my technique, I would have a hard time doing this out in the open, but in here," he remarked throwing his arms outward, "the sound projects everywhere. Amplifying its affects. The closer you got, the more violent the response."

Jay stopped spinning his flute and his grin disappeared. "And now, here we are. The climax."

"I will not be fooled by your clones any more!" she declared, striking into her jyuuken stance.

"I know you won't," he chuckled as he raised his flute to his mouth, "At this distance, I won't even need them."

Hinata took three steps before she froze in her tracks. She grit her teeth as Jay began playing a more frantic melody. She could literally feel her heartbeat rising and falling to the pace of the song.

Still, even as her sight began to blur, she fought with as much self-control as she could muster and took a step. And then another step. And another.

While it was at a snail's pace, she began making her way across the room. Her eyes locked with Jay's, sending an unspoken promise.

This will not stop me.

Jay seemed amused, and then proceeded to glance over her shoulder. She started to turn her head, but just as quick forced it back forwards.

No! She would not fall for his tricks again.

Besides, part of her didn't want to know. Based on what her subconscious had subjected to her before now, she didn't want to know what she would see within this close proximity.

As she gazed up into his eyes, she caught a glimpse of the reflection and froze. Jay was too far away to get a clear outline of what was behind her, but she didn't need it to identify what it was. The turquoise glow was more than enough.

She fought from falling to her knees as it stepped out from the byakugan's blind spot. It was just as she had remembered it: sharp, curved horns sticking from its forehead, a blinding, turquoise light pulsing from its body, and… its eyes. Empty, white eyes that seemed to stare straight into her soul.

In that moment, as she gazed into those eyes, she collapsed. Her knees gave out, and she fell onto her hands.

Everything came rushing back. The panic she had felt that day in the library, and every nightmare that occurred afterwards.

She simply sat on her knees, twitching, as her heartbeat began racing higher and higher.

* * *

Jay blinked in surprise as he glanced at the empty space behind her. He had expected a strong reaction, but not quite this severe. From what he had learned of the girl's past, he had expected that she would have seen her father or, if she had any lingering regrets, her mother.

This wasn't a response to either of those. If it was her father or mother, he would have expected her to break down crying and start apologizing, but this… This was absolute terror. What the hell had she been exposed to that he didn't know about?

He needed to end this quickly. Her heart was beating too fast. If he didn't act, she could suffer a heart attack.

With that in mind, he slowly began making his way across the room.

* * *

Memories were racing through Hinata's mind one after the other. She was forced to relive every panic-induced nightmare that had sent her screaming awake. Through every horrid moment, he was there.

Simply standing there in the back. His dark silhouette taunting her every dream.

In a blink, she was back in the body of her 10 year-old self. The figure towered over her as she huddled into a ball.

' ** _WHY? WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?'_** she screamed in her mind, only to be met with dull silence.

 _Why? Why me? What is it you want me to do?"_ she cried, burying her face into her knees.

"Whatever it is, we'll find out together!"

She blinked in confusion and lifted her head to see two, young boys standing in front of her.

"You don't have to be afraid. You're not alone anymore," the raven-haired one reassured her with a smirk, "We've got your back."

The blonde-haired boy lit up with a smile.

"You better believe it. It doesn't matter how long it takes, but we're with you all the way. We made a promise, and you know how I am about promises," he chuckled as they both reached out their hands.

Hinata remained silent as she chuckled, wiping away a tear. After a pause of hesitation, she reached out and gripped their hands.

"You both are such idiots."

"Yeah, but we're your idiots."

* * *

Jay slowed down the tempo as he finally stood in front of Hinata. Carefully trilling with one hand, he began reaching into his pouch for a kunai. One hit to the head and this would be over.

His breath caught in his throat, bringing his song to a halt, as Hinata's eyes shot open and she nailed him in the stomach.

Jay wretched as be stumbled away, giving Hinata enough time to rise to her feet.

' _Impossible! No one overcomes their fear that fast. It just not that simple! You can learn to control it, but that takes time and practice!'_

A single tear rolled down Hinata's face before she looked up and glared at him.

"I don't know how you broke out, but no one overcomes their fears that fast," Jay growled as he began pumping more chakra into his throat.

Hinata flinched as the shadow of the horned figure flickered back into existence, but she bit her lip and refused to let her knees give in again. She was no longer being forced to relive her memories, but she still could barely move.

' _I don't care what kind of mental fortitude you have, but your can't control your biology. Your body will still react to my music.'_ Jay thought as he watched Hinata struggle to stay on her feet.

Hinata grit her teeth as she slowly forced her hand towards her pouch. Jay's eyes widened as he glimpsed the tag attached to her kunai, and before he could do anything, she simply tossed it into the air.

The tag exploded, sending both parties flying backward. The music came to a screeching halt as the sounds of the explosion rebounded off the walls of the room.

Jay groaned as he pushed himself off the ground. He had trouble breathing from the concussive wave of the explosion. As he peaked open an eye, he could see a green glow through the dust.

' _She's healing herself!'_ he cursed as he fought to get to his feet. He froze as the dust began to clear and she became completely visible. She was holding her side with her right hand, which was hard at work healing her bruises. Her other hand was pointed at the ground, with a blue blade of chakra erupting out of her palm.

Before he could say anything, she stabbed down, right into the yellow scroll holding the maze together. It was quite anticlimactic at first, as the scroll simply ceased glowing and began to crumple up.

Shortly thereafter, the ground heaved as chucks of stone began falling from the ceiling.

"Without the scroll, the structure can't support itself. It will keep trying to repair itself without a source of chakra to power it," he cursed as he grabbed his flute off the floor.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spied the girl darting in his direction. He quickly raced through four hand seals and slammed his hand onto the dirt. The ground beneath him flipped over, rescuing him as Hinata's blade buried into the stone.

The audience let out sheets of surprise as the stone structure began to crumble and collapse in on itself.

"What's going on?" Naruto exclaimed, desperately holding on to the handrail as the ground shook beneath them.

"Over there!" Sasuke pointed as a hand shot out from ground 30 feet from the dome. Jay let out a gasp for air as he yanked himself out from the ground.

He didn't have much time to rest. The audience gasped as a blade of chakra penetrated out from the second story of the dome. It made a diagonal slice and another in the opposite direction, forming an X, before the wall simply exploded.

Naruto let out a sigh of relief he didn't know he'd been holding as Hinata stepped into view. There didn't seem to be any serious injuries from the look of her. However, the longer he gazed at her, the more he realized something was wrong. In all the time he had spent with her, he had honestly never seen her that angry.

A second later, she shot off towards Jay faster than Naruto had ever seen her move before. Before he could even lift his flute to his lips, she was on him. In a flash of blue, Jay was mildly shocked as his flute was sliced clean in half.

She reared back with her right fist, and the chakra in her palm reared back and shifted into the shape of her Lion Fangs. Before Jay could respond, she smashed her fist into his face. As he reeled back, she ducked under his guard and and slammed her palm right into his chest, directly above his lung.

Jay violently heaved as he fell forwards. Before he could hit the ground, Hinata grabbed him by his hair and yanked him up with her blade hovering right in his face.

All he could do was fight to breathe as her stared into her furious eyes. He considered reaching for his red scroll, but he decided to let it go.

He still had a job to do.

"I...give up..." he weezed, signaling for Gemma's attention.

"Jay Oshiro has forfeited the match. The winner is Hinata Hyuuga!"

Happy to finally see some action again the crowd went nuts for the Hyuuga heiress; however, their cheers fell on deaf ears.

She wasn't listening. She didn't care.

Her eyes were still locked with his. Even after Gemma's announcement, she had barely moved a muscle, with her blade hovering a hair width away from Jay's throat.

"Hinata-sama. It is over. Let him go," Gemma called out. When she failed to respond, he walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Hinata-sama. _Let him go."_

Hinata held her a glare with Jay for several seconds before finally closing her eyes. She let out a deep breath as she let go of his hair and deactivated her jutsu.

"You alright?" Gemma whispered as they watched a medical officer help lift Jay up to his feet. He get uneasy as she turned and began to walk away without a word.

"Congratulations," Jay coughed over the roar of the crowd. Hinata stopped in her tracks, but didn't turn around.

"It was your... subconscious... fighting against you," he panted as he turned to face the infirmary, "Whatever you did to overcome them... stick to it. Learn something from this."

Without another word, he and the officer began walking off the field.

"Way to go, Hinata-chan! You really showed that loud mouth who's boss!" Naruto cheered as she finally arrived up the stairs.

As she finally came into view, he paused. Something was wrong. He and Sasuke were immediately concerned as she walked up to the two of them with her head down.

"You okay?" Sasuke asked placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I... I will be," she quietly muttered.

"Hinata-chan... What happ-" Naruto was cut off as she out and yanked the both of them into a hug.

"What's wro..." Naruto trailed off as he felt her trembling against him.

"Please. Just for a moment," she whispered, tightening her grip around their necks.

They didn't need another word. They responded in kind, giving her all the support she needed.

* * *

 **Update: 1/24/18**

 **Regarding the update you saw today, that was simply removing Chapter 49, the Hurricane Irma update, in order to make room for the real Chapter 49 (The Finals Part 5: Naruto vs Neji).**


	49. Chapter 49: The Paradox of Fate

**Edit (1/30/18): Corrected plot hole I had made regarding Sasuke and Hinata's reactions to the Kyuubi's chakra. Shout out to user TNI for pointing that out. Fleshed out conversations in the latter half of the chapter that had suffered from being written towards the end of my writing session. Also fixed minor spelling and grammar errors.**

 **Chapter 49: The Paradox of Fate**

Chouji was frantic as he tried his best to stop his food from spilling from his lap, as Ino violently kept shaking his arm in excitement.

"C'mon Shikamaru!" Ino's voice screeched, her voice lost over the roar of the crowd.

He bit the inside of his cheek as beads of sweat trickled down his forehead. His face was contorted in deep concentration on the thin, black line racing across the dirt field. As it twisted and curved in pursuit of the blonde-haired girl backpedalling away, he had to fight his instinctual urge to brush away the sweat gathering above his brow.

The crowd was alive and on its feet. After simply waiting and watching the stone dome for the majority of the last match, they were excited to finally get things going again, and this match was certainly proving to be entertaining.

"You can do better than that Shikamaru!" Naruto loudly hollered from the platform, earning a tiny glare from the Nara in question, before returning back to the matter at hand.

"Hehehe, lazybones is actually doing pretty good for himself. Don't you think, Hinata?" Naruto chuckled.

His cheerful demeanor slightly faded when she simply nodded and kept staring down at the arena floor. He grew quiet as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. He was really starting to grow worried, and he didn't really know what to do.

Ever since she had returned from her match with Jay, she had barely said a word. After clamping Sasuke and himself into a firm hug, she refused to lighten her grip for a good 5 minutes before she finally settled down. Afterwards, she had simply murmured that she wasn't ready to talk about it and took her place along the balcony.

Of course Sasuke wasn't much help. He glanced across Hinata and sent the boy a small glare, to which he simply shot him back a look that said, _'Hey, you're better at this emotional thing than I am_.'

So here he was. He just felt stuck, not knowing what to do as one of his best friends seemed to be in lockdown.

He was about to speak when he noticed Neji making his way towards them. The pale-eyed boy simply ignored Naruto's glare as he casually took a spot next to him at ledge.

He glanced past the irritated blonde at Hinata, who was still staring down, deep in thought.

"Congratulations are in order, Hinata-sama," he spoke, stirring her from her daze.

She glanced once in his direction, before mumbling a soft thank you, placing her hands along the railing.

"Despite that… I cannot help but feel slightly disappointed," he slightly scolded, waiting for her reaction.

"She won, didn't she? Quite ferociously to boot," Sasuke defensively responded, sending him a slight glare from her other side.

"Oh, I must agree. I've honestly never seen her quite that angry before. I'm referring to the rest of her performance."

Hinata sent him an odd look as he pushed off the railing and walked past her. He stopped alongside her, and without turning his head whispered, "I could see everything."

Hinata felt her face grow hot a she realized Neji had seen her mild-breakdowns inside of the maze.

"And if I could see them…" he trailed off.

This time, she felt her heart drop, as a cold feeling spread across her chest. Naruto grew increasingly worried as she started shaking and her head whipped around towards the other side of the stadium.

"That's right. Most of the clan, including the council, surely saw it as well," Neji finished.

Her grip on the guardrail threatened to bend the thin metal frame. She felt her breath hitch as wave after wave of embarrassment and fear race across her body as the implications started settling in.

"So what?" Naruto cut in, stepping between the cousins, "Whatever happened, she was under a form of genjutsu the Hyuuga have never had to deal with before. They'll understand that."

Neji chuckled as he cast his attention towards Naruto. "Then you really don't know much about the Hyuuga council, do you? The main branch is far too prideful to admit that any form of genjutsu would be able to surpass the byakugan, especially one developed by a genin of all things."

Sasuke clenched his teeth, as he knew the older boy was right.

Neji glanced back at his cousin, who refused to meet his eyes as she continued to stare at the ground, shaking.

"Even in victory, you're still fated to be a failure," Neji scoffed as he started to walk away, but was held in his tracks, as Naruto clenched onto the back of his collar.

He felt himself twisted around to find Naruto directly in his face.

"Care to repeat that again?"

"Gladly. The same could be said about you as well," Neji replied, staring straight back into Naruto's glare.

As much as he wanted to see this play out, Sasuke reached out and grasped Naruto's hand on Neji's collar.

"Naruto, don't do anything stupid. It's not worth getting disqualified for starting a fight now."

Naruto growled as he stared back at Neji's relaxed eyes, whose gaze simply seemed to be begging him to take a swing.

As he was about to open his mouth, an incredulous roar burst from the crowd, garnering their attention. Shouts and boos rained from the crowd as Shikamaru started walking away from the blonde-haired girl who stood frozen in place, absolutely shocked by what she had just heard.

"What did he say?" Naruto asked in confusion.

"He gave up," Kankuro chuckled from the other side of Sasuke as he watched his sister began ranting at the Nara's retreating backside over her false-win.

"HE WHAT?" Naruto exclaimed, momentarily forgetting his quarrel with Neji as his eyes whipped around to follow Shikamaru as he made his way back.

Naruto let the Hyuuga go, as he joined in with the conclave of boos that showered down from the rest of the crowd. Neji simply dusted off his shirt as he flattened out the wrinkles in his collar.

As the crowd continued to boo, the announcer came back out and tried to gain some control back over the stadium.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, SHIKAMARU?" Naruto exclaimed as the lazy Nara, arrived from the stairwell.

"What? Can't help it if I run out of chakra. What a drag too. I almost had her," he sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck.

A tick mark grew on Naruto's forehead as he angrily tapped his foot.

"Oh, of course you did. I bet she was running you ragged the entire time," Naruto huffed in exasperation.

Shikamaru shot him an irritated glance. "Where you actually watching the match?"

"Of course I was, until that stupid bastard starting bothering Hinata-chan. Speaking of which, I-"

"Dobe!" Sasuke cut in.

"What?"

"If you're really that riled up, now's you're chance."

"Huh?" Naruto asked, tilting his head in confusion.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and simply pointed at the screen above the stadium, where Naruto's face was plastered alongside Neji's.

"You're up," Sasuke said, glancing back at Neji as he calmly made his way towards the staircase.

"About time," Naruto growled, cracking his knuckles.

"Likewise," Neji smirked as the two made their way down the steps.

* * *

"Now why did we have to watch from somewhere like this. Honestly, with all the money you make from those "novels" as you love to call them, surely you could have afforded somewhere better than this."

"Now, I'm sure Jiraiya-chan has his reasons. Besides, would you honestly rather be the center of attention as everyone stared at us?" an elderly man's voice responded.

"That's not the point! He could have at least picked somewhere less windy," the elderly woman's voice responded.

"All right. Settle down you two. It's main event time," Jiraiya smirked as he stared down from his spot on top of the arena.

"So it is," Fukasaku replied as he turned his attention from poking fun at his wife to stare down at the arena below. He had been mildly surprised by Jiraiya's summons, especially for something as casual as watching some exams.

Dropping her false irritation, Shima glanced up at Jiraiya. "While it's always lovely to spend time with you Jiraiya-chan, something tells me you didn't call the two of us out here simply to watch your latest student. What's going on?"

"Call it a hunch," Jiraiya replied as his eyes scanned the surrounding rooftops of the arena, before settling his gaze on the Kage press box.

"A very unsettling hunch," Jiraiya finished, narrowing his eyes on the sitting form of the Kazekage as he conversed with the Hokage.

"Expecting trouble?" Fukasaku asked.

"Possibly. Let's just say I'd rather be safe than sorry about some sketch intel."

"Well, we'll be happy to lend a hand if things go south, right Pa?"

Fukasaku nodded as he turned his gaze down to the tiny speck of blonde-hair, making his way towards the center of the field.

' _So this is the one Huli has been telling me about,"_ he mused as he watched the boy get into position across from his opponent, _'Just what troubles are you bringing us Naruto Uzumaki?'_

Jiraiya was wrestling with his own thoughts as he stared down at his student. For better or worse, today was the day everything changed.

* * *

" _Naruto, come here for a minute." Jiraiya called motioning the boy._

 _He groaned but willingly jogged over to the old man, and patiently waited for what he had to say._

 _"What's up sensei?" Naruto asked after an odd period of silence._

 _"I'm about to make a call, but I haven't really decided if it's the right one yet."_

 _"Huh? Whaddaya mean?" he asked cocking his head to the side._

 _Jiraiya chuckled as he ruffled the boy's hair. He was just too pure._

 _"You know what, we'll talk about it later, but for right now just remember this."_

Jiraiya was quiet as he watched Genma approaching the two boys.

"I want you to go out there and announce to the world: I am here!"

* * *

Genma could feel the tension in the air between the two, as he got ready to start the match.

"Alright, don't take things too far you two," he warned giving them each a hard glare, "Alright, if you're both ready, then you can begin."

Neither opponent moved as the crowd roared in excitement. They simply stayed rooted in place staring the other down.

Neji smirked before asking, "You have something to wish to say before we get started?"

"Yeah, as a matter of fact I do," Naruto replied with a glare. He paused for a few seconds before responding, "I've been waiting for this. Not just for what you did in the forest, but also for how you've been acting towards my team. I do not appreciate how you've acted towards Sasuke or myself…"

He paused as he glanced at the girl in question, whose full attention was now firmly fixed on the two of them.

"… and especially towards Hinata-chan."

Hinata felt her face feel flushed as she felt him stare back and forth between Neji and herself.

"I may not be the smartest guy in the world, but don't think I haven't noticed your effect on her, and not just from today. Any time you're brought up, it immediately places her on edge. I may not know the full story, but I do not take people bothering my team lightly. I don't care if you are her cousin, I do not tolerate bullies."

Neji seemed unaffected by his words as he began to settle into his opening position.

"The words of a child. I think it's about time I showed you how pointless your little dream is, by reminding you of your place here and now."

"Likewise," Naruto responded as he also settled into his opening stance.

Silence swept over the arena as the whole crowd waited with bated breath for someone to make the first move.

Neji was silent as he glared at this opponent, tensing up at the slightest movement.

Naruto smirked as he watched the frown on Neji's face. He suddenly jolted his body, causing Neji jerk in alarm, preparing for the boy's oncoming assault. Instead, he grew frustrated as the blonde simply faked him out and continue to stay in place.

A smile crept along Naruto's face at the boy's reaction, before he burst out laughing.

Not letting his guard down, Neji remained frozen, as the boy calmed down to a chuckle.

"You know, Neji, as much as it really pains me to admit it, we actually have a lot in common."

"Oh really," Neji replied, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Sure," Naruto replied shrugging, "both of our fighting styles are actually pretty similar. All it can take is one touch and, poof, game over. All you got to do is touch me and shut down my chakra system, and I just got to tap you to place a gravity seal."

"However," he smirked as chakra began swirling in his gut, racing throughout his body and causing Neji to tense up in alarm, "There is one critical difference in our styles."

Neji narrowed his eyes. "And what's that?"

"Long range," Naruto smirked as he leapt backwards two times, before biting his thumb. He smeared the blood across the palm and raced through several hand signs before shouting, "Summoning Jutsu!"

Smoke erupted from the ground, obscuring the boy, causing the crowd to murmur in excitement. As the clouds faded away, their murmurs turned to confusion as they stared at the tiny orange and blue toad sitting between the boy's legs.

"What the hell is that?" Ino asked in slight disgust, as they stared down at the strange creature squatting in front of Naruto, "Is that a frog?"

"A toad," Asuma corrected in mild astonishment as he leaned forward in his seat. Now this was getting interesting.

"I didn't know anyone else beside Jiraiya of the Sannin had access to the toad contract," Ko responded in shock. As a summoning expert himself, he fully understood the rarity of seeing the summons of the Toad clan in person.

"Today's the day, huh boss?" Gamakichi asked as he glanced around the arena, taking in the sights and sounds of this new environment.

"You bet. You ready to go?"

Gamakichi nodded agreement as his gaze finally settled on the Hyuuga boy across from him.

"Wait, wait, wait. Are we fighting Mr. Pretty Boy over there? Honestly how you built him up, I was expecting more," he shrugged as he gazed Neji up and down.

Neji ignored their ridiculous banter as he carefully eyed the tiny creature. It had cost Uzumaki quite a lot of chakra for him to pump out this creature. While he would call him one any day of the week, Uzumaki was admittedly no fool when it came to combat. His battles involving Lee and the Cloud-nin had certainly demonstrated that. He kept up his guard as the tiny toad plopped onto the boy's head.

"Well certainly seems like a festive occasion," Gamakichi commented glancing around the arena, "It's really working up my appetite. We really should cook something. Hungry for barbeque?"

"Starving," Naruto smirked as he glanced down at Neji. "I'll bring the matches-"

"-and I'll bring the oil!" Gamakichi finished as the two of them began racing through hand signs.

"Collaberation: Katon: Toad Oil Flame Bullet!" the two cried in unison, as the oil launched from Gamakichi's mouth was ignited by Naruto's fire.

The resulting fire roared to life, rushing across the field. Neji leapt backwards, vaulting hand over foot, and launched himself up the wall of the arena. The burning oil slammed against the concrete, pooling below him, causing him to face intense heat of the updraft.

Gamakichi and Naruto leaned their heads back as they launched another volley of the burning oil.

Neji quickly began racing along the wall, as the burning oil crashed in his tracks. He glared as he reached into his pouch and launched a barrage of shuriken at the immobile blonde.

The blonde simply reached into his pouch and tossed a single kunai up in the air. Gamakichi's tongue burst from his mouth, wrapping around the tiny hole in the handle. In one fluid motion, his tongue whipped around, knocking the shuriken from their intended baths, much to the audience's excitement.

Neji grunted as he leapt from the wall, and fell to the ground with some mild discomfort. Ignoring the feeling in his knees, he pushed himself up and began racing towards the pair.

He dodged as short volleys of burning oil were launched at him, before the pair began running through new forms of hand signs.

"Suiton: Pressure Stream!" Gamakich shouted as water erupted from his mouth.

The stream of water struck Neji in the shoulder, slightly veering him off course, but he was able to recover as he leapt and bent over the blast of water, as he grew increasingly closer.

' _Pretty Boy's got some fancy footwork,'_ Gamakichi thought in irritation as the boy continued to draw closer.

Neji leapt up into the air, soaring over the duo's heads, causing Gamakichi to cut off his jutsu. Neji landed behind them, and swiftly slid into a low kick, sweeping Naruto off his feet. Neji continued his momentum and twisted around, his arms poised to thrust. As his body turned to face the falling boy, Neji's palm flew forward, aimed for the boy's shoulder. As he was about to land the first blow, something slimy and wet firmly wrapped around his arm and forcefully tugged him off balance.

Neji followed the appendage wrapped around his wrist, and glared up at the toad that had finally left his perch from Naruto's head.

"Made you look," a voice taunted below him, causing his eyes to widen as he glanced down at the blonde below, who had his own arm outstretched, inches away from his bare skin.

The blonde's devious smile was in full force as he reached up and tapped Neji's outstretched arm, causing a black pattern to burst to life on his skin.

Gamakichi reared his head back and yanked the Hyuuga boy off to the side, allowing Naruto to leap up off his back.

Neji pulled as hard as he could against the small creature, but he was shocked by the amount of strength the tiny toad seemed to hide in its body.

' _Fine,'_ he cursed to himself as he quit fighting against the creature. He wrapped his arm around more of the creature's tongue and grabbed hold of it with his other. Squeezing down as hard as he could, he began forcing as much chakra as he could into the muscle.

Gamakichi released him instantly, squealing in pain as the muscles in his tongue began to painfully constrict.

Neji made three steps towards the creature, before he suddenly found it incredibly hard to move. He grit his teeth as he fought simply to remain on his feet. He tried to glance behind him, before a fist was smashed into his face.

He reeled back as Naruto smashed him once in the mouth, before ducking under the Hyuuga's arm. He thrust forward delivering a solid hit to the boy's gut, as Neji swung his arm towards him.

He ducked under the blow, and as Neji's arm sailed over his head, he crossed his right hand into a seal.

Neji's eyes widened as he felt the weight on him increase, as it became even harder to stay upright.

He tried to turn to defend himself, but was surprised to find something wet smack against his face. He gasped as he glanced down to see tiny toad delivering a kick with its long legs to his stomach.

In any other situation, Naruto would have laughed. It was almost comical to watch Gamakichi fighting so earnestly with his tongue uncomfortably sticking out of his mouth, but this wasn't the time for that.

The two of them took turns darting in and out, taking shots at the Hyuuga genius, as he struggled to put up any resistance through the gravity seal.

* * *

The crowd was honestly shocked as they basically watched the village pariah deliver the prodigy of the Hyuuga clan his noble ass.

They were not the only ones. Hinata and Sasuke were just as surprised as they were. Hinata had constantly lived her life watching Neji's back as a shadow she never thought she'd over come. To see Naruto dealing with him so easily was...incredible.

Sasuke was surprised to see this much efficiency out of the dobe. His fighting style had improved a lot. Of course, he was fighting against an opponent who couldn't fight back, but he could still see how much he had improved.

It was in his eyes. The way they tracked Neji's movements. It just held more experience than it had the last time he watched him fight. Sasuke had a hard time suppressing a smile. Sure, he had to admit he was enjoying Neji face some karma, but the itch that had been born from watching Naruto's fight with Ehl was back in full effect.

He needed to know how they stacked up.

* * *

Neji panted as he glared across at the two figures, patiently waiting for his next move.

Before he could even make a step, Naruto rushed forward, sliding under his guard and sweeping his legs out from under him.

As he fell in the air, his eyes widened as the tiny toad launched itself straight at him and smashed him with both legs, sending him flying.

He groaned as he slid against the ground, until he came to an uncomfortable stop. The gravity seals were making it almost impossible to move. Even the simplest of movements were an ordeal now.

"Having fun yet Neji? Cause we can end this now if you want," the blonde taunted with a thick smile on his face. "As fun as wailing on you is, I don't think kicking the Hyuuga prodigy while he's down will look good on my resume, when I'm applying for Hokage."

Neji couldn't help but chuckle, as he forced himself to face Naruto out of the corner of his eye.

"Stilling clinging onto that ridiculous dream of yours?"

"What of it?"

"Heh, it's funny that you actually think that somehow you'll become the Hokage. The spot held for the greatest shinobi in the village will not be taken up by some random orphan everyone looks down on."

Naruto was silent as he took a deep breath. He raised his hand in a sign, and Neji buckled as the gravity seals increased to an incredibly uncomfortable degree. He grunted as the ground beneath him actually cracked from the weight.

Against Lee, Naruto had been sure to slowly increment the amount of gravitational force that affected his body in order to prevent the boy from seriously hurting himself. He saw no reason to continue that courtesy now.

"Yeah, we're done," Naruto replied as he glanced over at the judge, who was slowly making his way across the arena.

As soon as Naruto turned his attention away, Neji closed his eyes and began focusing his chakra into his head.

"Honestly, I'm a little disappointed," Gamakichi croaked as he hopped next to Naruto's side.

"No kidding. Nice work by the way. Alright Gamakichi, let's start heading b-"

Naruto was cut off as he suddenly felt a surge of chakra violently explode behind him. He whipped around only to face a fist two inches from his face.

His eyes could only widen in surprise as he was sent flying back across the arena.

"What the he-" Gamakichi cried before he was violently kicked into the air. He felt his breath knocked from his body as he tumbled across the ground. The tiny toad squeezed his eyes open to see a shining figure dart towards him, before his body exploded in pain once again.

A fist firmly buried in his gut, before he was sent crashing into the concrete wall of the stadium. Before he could get up, he felt himself being squeezed as he was forcefully lifted up.

Naruto shook his head as he tried to clear his blurry vision. He had actually flown across the entire arena before smashing into the concrete wall. He placed a hand against the wall to steady himself as he glanced across the meadow.

"I'm sorry I seemed to disappoint the two of you, but I do hope that this makes up for it," the figure proclaimed before slamming the toad one last time against the wall, where he exploded into a pile of smoke.

Naruto's eyes widened as he watched Gamakichi get dispelled back to Mt. Myoboku. While he certainly felt guilty for the toad, he had a feeling that Gamabunta's anger about the state of his son was the least of his problems right now.

Neji's byakugan seemed to be twice as intimidating as he stared his opponent down.

Neji let out a long breath as he continued to feel his body adjust to this state.

"Inner Gates: Gate of Opening complete," he coldly stated.

' _Oh shit…"_ Naruto thought as flashbacks of Lee started dancing in his mind, ' _I am not going to be a human beach ball again!'_

* * *

In the stands, Lee watched on in frustration as he was forced to watch Neji utilizing the same technique that he had worked so hard to achieve.

"Go ahead, Lee. I know you have something to say," Gai said, as if reading his mind.

"Sensei… you taught him the Inner Gates as well?"

"Indeed. As much as it may hurt seeing Neji using that technique, you need to remember that he is also my pupil, and I cannot turn my students away when they ask for help."

Tenten glanced back at him in surprise. "Neji actually asked you to teach him that?"

"Indeed," Gai replied, crossing his arms, "As you both know, Neji can be quite stubborn about opening up, so you can imagine my surprise when he approached me asking for help. After the preliminaries, he approached me asking me to teach him the basics of the technique. As much as he hates to admit it, Neji understood how challenging young Naruto would be as an opponent."

He glanced down at Lee with a light smile, "You'll be proud to hear that he even admitted that he would not have been able to keep up with you if he had faced you in the preliminaries."

Lee's eyes widened as Gai continued, "So he understood the danger those gravity seals presented, and he needed a way to continue to fight unencumbered, if Naruto was able to get past his guard. Just as you did, he saw the Inner Gates as a method to overcome the weight limit."

"I…see," Lee responded gazing back down at his rival.

Gai watched his young protégé watch on, but decided to remain silent. This was not the place for this kind of talk.

* * *

"And next…," Neji cried out as he focused even more chakra in his brain, "Inner Gates: Gate of Healing! Open!"

Naruto covered his eyes as the swell of chakra caused the wind to whip in his face.

Neji slightly struggled to contain the overwhelming energy, as it traveled through every cell in his body. He had never felt so alert. With the limit removed from his brain, his mind was racing over four times its usual rate, allowing him to process more information than ever before.

His chakra began working throughout his body. Repairing any damage that had been caused by Uzumaki's earlier assault.

After a few seconds, he let out a sigh in comfort. He honestly felt incredible.

The gravity seal left on his arm barely even registered to him anymore. It hardly even-

"Activate!"

Neji's eyes widened as he felt the seal's force increase yet again. It wasn't nearly as bad as it was before, but he certainly could still feel its effects.

Naruto was beyond shocked. Neji was currently pushing five times normal gravity and still on his feet.

The current seal he had placed on him was at its max. He would have to apply more if he wanted to slow him down anymore.

Without wasting anymore time, Naruto raced towards the Hyuuga adjusting to the latest change in gravity.

Naruto leapt through the air, aiming a kick at the boy's head, which he was easily able to block. Naruto leapt back before attempting two more strikes, which were met with the same level of ease.

Tired of just waiting for his opponent, Neji finally began striking back. Naruto found himself truly struggling to keep up with Neji's blows. They weren't too fast for him to follow, but now they were about even regarding speed. It was now all up to whose taijutsu form was stronger, and unfortunately he knew between the two of them who had the other beat.

"You know Uzumaki, you were right earlier," Neji calmly stated after his latest barrage of attacks left a trail of purple welts along Naruto's forearm. He winced as he felt the jyuuken do its work, causing his muscles to painfully contract.

"How so?" he grunted as he tried to knock away, the seemingly faster strikes.

"We do have similar styles; however, what sets us apart are our weaknesses."

Naruto felt confused before hissing in pain as Neji got a surprise jab into his ribs.

"I must thank you for pointing out my weakness in long range. I will be sure to remedy that. Your weakness, however, will not be so easily rectified."

Neji then proceed to land one punch to his face, before leaping over him.

Sensing the momentary weakness on Neji's landing, Naruto whipped around as fast as he could to deliver a strike while he was vulnerable. Fist extended, he whipped around only for his heart to stop as he came face-to-face with someone else.

Her eyes began to water, as he realized his fist was only inches from her face.

His breath hitched in his chest as Neji lunged through the vision of Hinata to strike a jyuuken strike straight to the boy's lung.

Naruto's eyes widened as blood erupted from his throat.

"You're too sentimental," Neji commented as he began lowering himself into a very familiar stance.

"Checkmate, Uzumaki," he declared as his fingers began glowing blue.

"Two Palms!" he cried out as Naruto could do nothing to stop his fingers from jabbing into his skin.

"Four Palms! Eight Palms!"

Sasuke and Hinata could only watch in frustration as Naruto was violently bombarded by more and more hits every second.

Finally, Neji reared back for his final set. "Eight-Trigrams: Sixty Four Palms!"

A fountain of blue erupted across Naruto's body as Neji's finger's danced across his skin, shutting down every single chakra point they came in contact with.

With a final shout, he slammed his hand into Naruto's chest, sending him sliding back a foot and a half. The boy heaved as he tried to breathe and stay on his feet, before eventually, his legs gave out beneath him.

Neji was heaving himself as he rested on his knees. Performing each of the movements of the 64 Palm techniques while being weighed down by the gravity seals was no easy task.

However, he chuckled as he regained his breath and made his way towards his opponent.

"I must say Uzumaki, I am quite impressed. I might have to take back what I said. You're not a complete failure after all. At least not as much as she is."

"Sh-shut up!" Naruto growled as he forced his head to look up at Neji. He grit his teeth as he glared up at Neji. His smug grin only pissing him off more.

"Grrrr. What is your problem? I'm used to people hating me, but why are you so cruel to her? She's done nothing to you!"

Neji's eyes flashed as he glared down at the blonde.

"Nothing to me?" he repeated, "Everything their fault! Both her and the rest of the Main Branch!"

"What….the hell… are you talking about," Naruto gasped between breathes.

Neji glanced towards the genin's stands, and watched as Hinata shied away under his gaze.

"It seems you're behind on your Hyuuga history. Allow me to fill in the blanks that _Hinata-sama_ failed to fill in."

Naruto watched on in confusion as Neji removed his headband and silently began unwrapping the binds around his head. As he finished removing the final layer, Naruto was surprised to see the black marks adorning his forehead. While he didn't know exactly what it was, his brain was dissecting it almost by instinct.

"Is that… a seal?" he panted.

"The Caged Bird Seal," Neji angrily responded, lightly tracing over the design with a finger.

Hinata watched on in guilty silence, unaware of the tiny light emitting from her pouch as a white symbol etched itself into a scroll.

He angrily glared across the stadium towards the VIP box towards one man in particular. On the outside, Hiashi Hyuuga met his nephew's glare with the same detached look he gave everyone. On the inside, he sighed, as he knew what was coming.

Neji glared back at Naruto before angrily pointing at the seal. "This is a mark of suppression. Something forced onto all of the branch members at birth in order to keep us in line. Simply because of the order in which we are born, any member of the Hyuuga may be forced to wear this for the rest of their lives."

Naruto frowned as he saw Neji's muscles tense before he continued, "It's quite impressive in it's cruelty. Would you like to know what it does? Imagine I were to disobey an order from on of the clan's elders or perhaps a main branch member didn't approve of my tone when speaking to them. Regardless if it's deserved or not, any one of them can activate this seal and you can take my word that no matter how much you might believe you're in now." He glanced over Naruto's disheveled form before closing his eyes and continuing, "Would be blissful relief compared to what it does to you."

For once, Naruto had nothing to say, as Neji glared up at the Kage box. "It must be nice for the rest of the village. To act oblivious and pretend that they don't allow this... slavery to exist within their village's walls."

As he ended his rant, Neji glanced back down at Naruto's troubled expression. He saw him glance over towards Hinata as asking her to verify if his story was true. Her refusal to meet his gaze told him everything he needed to know.

"She failed to mention that little detail, didn't she? That half of her clan was forced to live as slaves."

Naruto was shaken from his stupor and grit his teeth as he glared back up at Neji, "Fine. That really... REALLY sucks! But what does that have to do with Hinata?"

True fury engulfed Neji's face, as he shouted, "She's the reason my father is dead!"

* * *

As Neji recounted the story of the Hyuuga Affair, even Sasuke felt no small amount of pity for Neji. It all started to click to him, as he remembered his first conversation with Hinata regarding Neji just before they entered the Forest of Death. Glancing down at her, he was surprised what he saw. The way she held herself was completely different than what he expected. She did not shudder or shake, in fact, he was surprised by how relaxed her body posture was. There was no violent outburst of guilt or sadness. Instead, it was all in her eyes. Her large, lavender eyes expressed more than her actions ever could. They were almost glossed over, etched with guilt, pity, and misery; all the while, two constant streams of tears trailed down her cheeks.

He was silent for a few moments before whispering, "You know that isn't your fault right?"

She simply shook her head, her gaze never leaving Neji's face, contorted in anger and pain. "Yes, yes it is," she murmured as her tears began to puddle at the bottom of her cheek.

Sasuke fell silent, before a frown settled onto his face.

"So you're telling me at three years old, you somehow intentionally planned to be kidnapped by Kumo?"

The question completely caught her off-guard, causing her to break her stare from Neji. She turned to face Sasuke, who seemed to be ignoring her gaze.

"W-what do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. You said it was your fault. So you're telling me that somehow you were able to arrange someone to kidnap you at three years old?"

"I don't… I don't understand..."

"I'm not going to repeat myself. Did you or did you not?" he replied more sternly this time, casting an eye on her.

"O-of course not!" she responded, taken aback by his tone.

He let out a breath from nose, before turn his gaze back to the field. "Then stop saying it's your fault. Stop burdening yourself with guilt for something you didn't commit. I can understand it is upsetting, but I don't want to hear you keep blaming yourself for things outside of your control. Are we clear?"

Hinata remained silent as his words reverberated inside her mind.

"Are we clear?" Sasuke repeated slightly louder, with a hint of irritation.

She remained silent for a few more second before she lightly chuckled. She couldn't help but suppress the tugging on the edges of her lips, as the tiniest of smiles lit up her face as she realized what he was trying to do.

She nodded as she finally began wiping away the trail of tears that had been gathering on her cheeks and under her chin.

"For the record," she slowly said as she rubbed her face against her sleeve, "You're going to need a deeper voice if you're going to try acting like sensei."

Sasuke seemed to ignore her lsat comment as if he hadn't heard it, as he continued to stare down at Naruto's beaten form.

"Alright, pity time is over. Start paying attention. This match isn't over yet."

Hinata was silent as she returned her attention back to the match at hand. She felt horrible as she gazed upon Naruto. His new clothes where torn and tattered, as well as stained from blood and dirt. She could feel Naruto's gaze as he turned his attention back to her. She didn't want things to end here for him, especially after all of his hard work.

Finally, she shook herself as he broke her gaze, and turned back to respond to Sasuke.

"What do you mean? Did you see that he has a plan?"

"No, he has nothing, but this match still isn't over," Sasuke responded with certainty. Shimarau raised an eye brow as the pair's conversation came to an end, and he took a place next to Sasuke at the railing.

"Why do you say that?" Shikamaru asked, glancing up at him.

"Because it's him. That idiot just doesn't know when to stay down," Sasuke replied with a light smirk.

Shikamaru was silent for a second, before lightly chuckling and turning back to the field. Hinata also giggled at his remark as she turned back to the match.

Sasuke was right. It was one of the many things she absolutely admired him for. His one creed that she had taken to heart more than any other. The will to never give up.

* * *

 _Half a minute earlier..._

Neji was silent as he finished his story regarding the passing of his father.

"This is my fate now. To forever be a slave to an unworthy family. Forced to be held back, simply because my father came out a few seconds after hers."

Naruto remained silent as he lay in the dirt. His body was aching and it was difficult to even breathe, but regardless of that, his brain was running a mile-a-minute, fully digesting Neji's story. He winced as he turned his head to glance across the arena towards the balcony, until his eyes fell on Hinata. It was obvious how guilty she felt. His gaze softened as he mind flashed back to the first time their team had ever met as a group.

 _Of course she had been shy and nervous, but she calmy stood up and said, "Erm... hello. My name is Hinata Hyuuga. My likes also include reading, as well as flower pressing, and my family. My dislikes…" Her thoughts trailed off as she thought about the divide in amongst the Hyuuga. "…are rather personal to my clan. And my dreams are…" She blushes as she shoots Naruto a quick glance, before pinching herself and holding her head up high, "To become the next leader of my clan, so that I can finally unify both houses."_

As his memory needed, he couldn't help but weakly smile as he watched Sasuke try to cheer her up in his own way, before shifting his gaze back to Neji.

"You're so full of shit," he muttered, making sure Neji would clearly hear him.

Neji's eyes flashed in irritation as he lifted his foot and began firmly applying pressure to Naruto's back.

"Come again?"

Naruto only chuckled under Neji's display of force. "For someone with x-ray, binocular, and 360 degrees of vision, it's amazing how blind you are."

Naruto pushed his head up and shouted, "She cares about you all so much. All she wants to do is help you, but you just put her down and belittle her. Are you sure she's the one suppressing you?"

Neji's nostrils flared as he applied slightly more pressure, before swiftly lifting his heel from Naruto's back and backed up.

He turned to walk away, but turned one last time to say, "Placing my trust in her would be pointless. She is far too soft to run the clan. Besides, it's not as if she has any chance, especially after today. Her behavior inside the maze was pathetic, and it was observed by the entire council. Trust me, it did nothing to help her perception in the elder's eyes. She'll never have the support to become clan head."

"Well, it can be kinda hard to gain any traction when even your family keeps putting you down," Naruto shot in, causing Neji to pause.

After a few seconds, he shook his head and turned to Genma. "Referee, this match is finished. I'm done wasting my time here."

Without another word, Neji began making his way across the arena. Before he was even halfway back towards the stands, he paused as he heard a slight whistling sound.

Instinct kicked in, and his head jerked to the side a kunai sailed past his face, lightly cutting his cheek.

He whipped around with a frown to see the blonde barely on his feet with one hand on his knees and the other outstretched win front of him.

"Where... do you think... you're going," Naruto panted, "I'm not finished with you yet."

He grit his teeth as head raised his head to meet Neji's gaze.

"I... am still standing!"

"A fact that can be easily remedied," Neji responded in kind, before rushing back and forcefully shoving Naruto off his feet.

Naruto slid a few feet before painfully falling backwards onto his back, where he spent the next minute gathering his breath, before he worked up enough energy to push himself to his feet.

' _I'll give him this, he doesn't know when to give up,'_ Neji thought as he watched Naruto teeter side-to-side, trying to stay on his feet. "This is pointless. What do you hope to accomplish? It is impossible for you to defeat me in your current state. You can't even access any chakra. Why do you keep getting back up?"

Naruto was silent before he slowly raised his hands into a single hand sign.

"Because… you called us... failures."

He closed his eyes as he forced his body to begin tugging towards the mark along the middle of his stomach. He gritted his teeth as he pushed his body to reach out and clamp onto the swirling body of chakra, as a loud roar echoed in his mind.

Suddenly, Neji found himself fighting to keep his balance as a wave of violent chakra flooded accompanied with strong winds swept over the stadium.

"What… What the hell is this?" he thought incredulously. He winced as he fought to cover his eyes from the strong winds, but even with his byakugan, he was still confused at what was going on. He was left shocked as he watched a strange, new source of chakra, drowned in a red, malevolent aura begin flooding throughout the blonde's body. His entire chakra system should have been blocked off, but Naruto was somehow forcing this ridiculous chakra through his body's network.

Not only was it flowing, but this chakra was also forcing open all of the blondes chakra points he had closed off in his earlier attack.

"What is this dark chakra?" Neji cursed as he could only watch as this strange, red chakra erupted from the boy's stomach, spreading out in every direction. "Or... is it even chakra at all?"

* * *

"There it is again," Hinata muttered as she and Sasuke braced themselves as the waves of heavy chakra washed over them. She had been only half-conscious at the time, but she could still vividly remember the feeling this chakra from their mission to Wave. While the chakra still held a malevolent feeling to it, it felt incredibly more reigned in than before. However, that didn't mean it was something to scoff at. It still made the hair on her arms stand on end, and fill the air with a thick, heavy feeling that seemed to press down on her.

She was forced to remove her grip on the railing to cover her eyes, as her face was assaulted by the onslaught of wind. Sasuke on the other hand didn't even seem to mind the wind. In fact, his eyes never let the sight of his teammate as this red chakra swirled around him. Sure, he had known about the blonde's "tenant" ever since the team's little hear-to-heart in Wave, but believing and seeing were two very different things. This was the first time he was actually conscious to experience the "demon's" chakra in person. He was shocked by just how... overbearing it was. It felt like heavy bursts of hot gas were being blasted against his body, and that was without even mentioning it's biggest affect.

The rage.

It was as if a presence was simply rolling through him in waves. The closest thing he could compare it to was Zabuza's killing intent, but even that paled in comparison. Zabuza's intent had been overbearing, but it had carried an almost manufactured feeling to it. It was almost like he could tell that the rage and anger weren't directly intended for him.

But this... it almost felt personal. As if he were the true target of all of this presence's anger. All that hatred and anguish directed straight at him.

But what really struck him the most was from whom all this was coming from. While he had accepted his teammate's status as a jinchuuriki, it was almost as if it never truly settled in to his mind. The guy was just too naive and upbeat. The idea of the village's ultimate demon inside of him of all people just never clicked with him.

But now, being bathed in the glow of this chakra, Sasuke felt like he was truly beginning to understand the situation his teammate was actually in. His eyes flashed red as the picture of Naruto's engulfed by a sea of red was burned into his mind. Even as the chakra continued to flow over him, it couldn't stop a new feeling that was rushing over him.

Anticipation.

* * *

Naruto was uncharacteristically silent as the strange chakra finally stopped thrashing out and spreading in every direction. As he let out his breathe, the chakra seemed to settle and began focusing solely on his body, forming an aura around himself.

When he finally opened his eyes, Neji was taken back by the sight. Gone were his bright, blue eyes. In their place, were two bloodshot, red eyes with sharp, slanted irises. He never broke Neji's gaze, as he calmly withdrew a trident-style kunai from his pouch.

' _Impossible! Does… does he have a kekkai genkai?"_ Neji thought as he tried to understand what exactly was happening. ' _Just... what is he?'_

Shaking himself from his stupor, Neji grit his teeth and began raising his own chakra. As he forced his energy to flow through his body, he could not stop Naruto's words from before echoing in his head.

 _"Well, it can be kinda hard to gain any traction when even your family keeps putting you down."_

 _'Shut up... Shut up!'_

"Why? Why won't you just stay down?" he growled as he took a few slow steps before racing full tilt towards the blonde. His hands erupted in blue chakra as he prepared to deliver another stroke.

This time to his heart.

"Why?" Naruto repeated before he too rushed forward. As they finally drew upon each other, the blonde tossed his kunai forward towards Neji's head. He almost smirked at the throw as he easily tilted his head to miss the blade. It was almost as if he wasn't even aiming for his head.

Just as they were within inches of each other, the blonde indignantly cried, "Because that... is MY fate!"

Ignoring the blonde's words, Neji swept under his arm and pressed forward towards his chest. The blonde seemed completely unconcerned about the glaring weaknesses in his guard as Neji reached forward to strike him.

And then, just as he was about to land his hit, it happened.

He vanished.

He simply vanished.

Gone in a yellow flash.

Dumbstruck, Neji could do nothing but continue his path forward before the blonde suddenly returned to his byakugan's field of view, hovering right above his back.

Neji was beyond shocked, but what actually scared him was the massive concentration of chakra that was forming in Naruto's hand.

The heat from the Rasegan bathed his palm, as he glared down at the wide-open back of his opponent. He tightened his grip on his kunai as he twisted mid-air and slammed the blue orb into the small of Neji's back.

It was only a matter of seconds, but to everyone in the crowd, it felt like hours. All of the older shinobi recognized the technique instantly. Every single one of them mouthed the words that screamed from the boy's lips.

"RASENGAN!"

Dust was sent flying as Neji was slammed into the earth beneath him. Tears stung his face at the pain, as a combination of burning and tearing flashed in his mind.

Despite this, when he would look back to this day, he would remember the blonde's next word's perfectly.

Naruto was silent as he stood over Neji, before he finally met his gaze and said, "Maybe fate does have a plan set out for us to follow, but what gives anyone the right to say that they know what our fate is? The circumstances of one's birth do not dictate your destiny, only your starting line. You decide what your destiny is, and then you work as hard as you need to make sure it's a reality."

Neji didn't know what to say as Naruto turned away from him.

"Accepting 'fate' is just the same as giving up. Maybe there is some destiny for each of us, but its impossible for anyone to know what it is until it's over; until then fate is what you make of it."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 **Man, it's been awhile, hasn't it? Good to be back.**

 **The invasion should finally kick off next chapter, and we can actually get into the 2 big fights of this arc (That's right. I said 2. Team 7 and the Sand Siblings aren't going to be the only ones in the spotlight. Let me just say this: after these fights, you'll understand why I've been holding off the release of the Kitsune Gaiden until the end of this arc).**

 **Also, I know I changed it before to some confusion, but I am going to have to do it again. I know the Fox Hellfire jutsu colors are not correct as of this moment, but I plan to go back through everything and change them.**

 **FOR THE FINAL RECORD: the colors change from 1) red/yellow, 2) to blue and finally 3) to white. That's it. End of discussion. Now it's correct.**

 **Last thing: I know I've been gone quite a long time, and with that comes the doubts and worries about the story being dropped and left unfinished. Those are legitimate concerns, but I'd like to say this: you all have been so supportive and we have gotten so far that I would find it a shame to not finish this work. I plan to go as long as I can, but, even if the worst-case scenario comes to pass and I can no longer push myself to write this story, I would not just leave you hanging without it's resolution. In that scenario, I would post one last chapter telling you guys how the story was going to pan out completely. I say knowing how a story would end without getting to see is much better than just being left hanging. That being said, I don't foresee that happening (because honestly, if it came to that and I started typing up the full plot summary, I'd probably get back into it).**

 **Anyway, sorry if the quality wasn't up to the norm. Mostly planned the fight from old notes, and couldn't find much to add. I'm just getting back into it.**

* * *

 **Edit (1/29/18):**

 **Since it's been such a long time, I thought it'd be a good idea to do a refresher on everything that's going on so far (since I honestly need one myself).**

 **\- Ria and Tai are the orphaned grandchildren of the Tsuchikage, who are currently residing in Konoha after Ria suppressed her memories due to the trauma of losing her parents.**

 **\- They also have an older brother who was kidnapped by a mask-wearing Uchiha the same night they lost their parents.**

 **\- Their parents were assassinated by a man named Bossa Zaufu, who is the right hand man of the Iwa elder, Yuuta Tsubasa.**

 **\- Iwa's mole, Yoshio, is currently living within Konoha's walls and seems very interested in growing closer to Inoichi Yamanaka.**

 **\- Hinata's scroll just activated yet again, signaling yet another story from the Otsutsuki history. This time it seemed to react to Neji's story regarding the Caged Bird Seal.**

 **\- An unknown member in the Hyuuga's viewing section took an extreme interest in Sasuke's sharingan. It also seems that this mysterious individual has been conducting deals with Orochimaru, trading information and access to his labs for stolen byakugan.**

 **\- Jay, Ko, and Ehl are members of Team Tesla, who seem to have a secret agenda from the Raikage that has something to do with Naruto**

 **\- After inheriting the contract from Kitsune, Naruto's personal fox summon is an energetic, yellow fox named Kimi, who happens to be the daughter of the Fox Matriarch, Empress Lady Xi.**

 **\- Hinata also has a summoning contract exclusive to her clan that has yet to be revealed yet. (Just to temper your anticipations, I'm just going to be up front and tell you that the reveal** **won't come until after Tsunade returns to the village. Saving it for Hinata's last fight of Part 1.)**

 **\- The fox elder Huli seems to be aware of all of Kitsune's secrets. He also happens to be a close friend of Fukasaku, the toad elder.**

 **\- Jiraiya has been investigating Uzumaki shrines to learn more about the Reaper seal in the hopes of freeing the Yondaime from the stomach of the shinigami.**


	50. Update: Delay and Kitsune Gaiden Outline

**Update: Testing Delays and the Kitsune Gaiden Outline**

 **Edit (3/27/18) :** Hey, still not dead. I know it's been awhile and I wanted to give you guys an update. I know some people don't like these chapter updates (which I delete afterwards), but I find it the most effective way to get to all of you. To tide you over, I have a little surprise for you at the bottom of this update after explaining the delay. Anyway, I had planned on releasing the next chapter 2 weeks after the last one, but I was bogged down by test after test, and now I having quite a difficult time in 2 classes. It's not fair to drag you guys along like this, but I can't help it if my schedule isn't as smooth as I would like it to be. I sadly can't say for certain when the next chapter will be, but I have set a personal deadline for myself to try and finish by. To soothe any concerns, the chapter is finished, I just have to type it up (which I usually like to do in 1 sitting, but can take several hours). Thank you for your patience.

In the meantime...

 **** Heads up! The entire outline for the Kitsune Garden side-story is available to read right now! Be aware, there are spoilers for the ENTIRE plot, including important plot twists, so read at your own discretion. For any concerned, there are no major spoilers for the Yajuu Sannin in the outline, only hints for things to come. You have been warned. The link can be found on my profile page. ****

This format was used to help me get feedback on the overall plot over on discord, and I thought it would be nice to hear your thoughts as well. It is still in the works and there are still parts that have not been fully fleshed out, but the overall plot is pretty much done. This will help me know what sections to trim down or improve on. Thanks in advance. Hope you enjoy.

Also, please try to refrain from posting spoilers for it in the reviews of this story. Please show some consideration for those who decided to refrain from reading and enjoy the story as it is released. Please send any comments as a PM. Much appreciated.


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